No Tomorrow
by BeneathTheUmbrella
Summary: AU. Ted and Tracy get together under different circumstances: he's still moving to Chicago, and she's still mourning Max. They merely seek physical comfort in one another, but will it develop into something more?
1. The Pick-Up

_March 2013_

Ted was hanging out at MacLaren's on a Thursday night. Alone, which was the norm for him as of late. Lily and Marshall were upstairs with Marvin, and Barney and Robin were busy with wedding plans. While he was always more than welcome to join them, he knew, he often didn't want to disturb them, to be the third wheel.

So he would just spend those lonely evenings at his office on-campus, grading papers and tests or just meeting with students, or at his apartment, on the couch, mindlessly jumping from one channel on television to the next.

And sometimes when the cabin fever had set in, like now, he'd go over to MacLaren's. He'd chat with Carl or some of the other staff, or meander from one table to the next, chatting amicably with some of the other regulars.

On that particular evening, however, Ted was feeling especially lonely. Physically. It had been about a month since he and Jeanette parted ways, and after that disastrous night, Ted knew he had to make some changes in his life, to make big decisions for himself to help him move forward.

He would look at Barney and Robin, planning their future together. And at Lily and Marshall, who were readying themselves to spend a year in Rome. They were all moving forward with their lives. And what was Ted doing? He was in the exact same place he was eight years earlier. Sure, he had had his ups and downs, and he had definitely learned things about himself and about life along the way. But he was still in the same spot as he always was, and nowhere near the life he wanted so badly that it made his chest ache. Hell, Barney—_Barney!_—was going to become a husband before Ted. He was very much happy for his friend and Robin, of course. But ask anyone who knew them, and Barney would've been the last man on earth they'd expect to be exchanging marital vows with another human being.

Which is why Ted decided to take a big leap: he was moving to Chicago in two months. His old boss, Hammond Druthers, had called him back in the fall about joining his architecture firm in Chicago. Ted had said no at the time, but now, he thought, "Why not?" He had nothing to lose, and maybe that's what Ted needed: a new job in a new city. A fresh start. Maybe the girl of his dreams was living in Chicago, and that's where he was meant to meet her.

The gang was understandably upset about his news, but the four of them were very supportive. They all sensed that Ted was feeling like the odd-man-out at times, and they wished him well, and hoped he would be able to find what—and whom—he was looking for in Chicago.

His first day at work was supposed to be the Monday after Robin and Barney's wedding in Farhampton, but he managed to push that day to Tuesday. He wanted the extra day to hang out with his friends one last time before he left.

He was going to miss New York; after all, it was the greatest city in the world, and was the place he called home for so long. But he still had two months left. So he was going to enjoy himself: hang out with his friends, visit his favourite haunts, and just revel in the city's unique vibe until he had to leave.

And tonight, well, Ted wanted (and needed) a little human contact. He was ready to give up the bachelor life once and for all, but until Chicago, he decided to have a little fun and tend to that itch that needed scratching. After all, with two months to go, he may as well find some no-strings-attached companionship. After all, sometimes a warm body—any body—was enough to help stave off loneliness for awhile.

His eyes wandered across the bar. Some girls were already coupled-up, or others in groups with their girlfriends. For a brief moment, he wished Barney was still single, to help him out a bit. Ted wasn't always good at picking up one-night-stands on his own, and he sure could use a wingman right about now...

Ted wasn't sure what he was looking for as his eyes continued to roam, until his eyes landed on a beautiful woman sitting alone at the bar, nursing a glass of red wine. She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a soft pink sweater, and knee-high boots, her legs dangling as she sat on the high barstool. She had wavy chestnut hair that fell past her shoulders, and big brown eyes that were taking in her surroundings.

Ted was mesmerized. He couldn't recall ever being so taken by someone like this, at first glance. He felt this weird rush coursing through his entire body, a feeling he'd never quite felt before, and one he couldn't necessarily describe. He just stood there, beer in hand, probably looking like an idiot; that's when the girl looked up from her glass, and right into Ted's eyes.

Her eyes widened as she looked at Ted, and he noticed a surprised look on her face. She just sat there, and the two of them stared at each other for what felt like forever, until her lips curled into a light smile.

Ted smiled back, wider and more eager than he had hoped, and walked over to her.

"Hi," he said gently. "May I sit here?"

She nodded her head, and Ted sat on the stool beside her.

"I'm Ted," he said, reaching out his hand. _A handshake?! Smooth, Teddy..._

"I'm Tracy," she said. She seemed a bit shy and nervous, but had a friendliness about her. She reached out her hand to shake his, and they both felt a spark as their palms touched.

"Um, nice to meet you, Tracy," Ted said, faltering a bit at the contact. "I've never seen you here before."

"I've only been here once before," she told him. "Funnily enough, I used to hang out at another MacLaren's pub on the East Side during my college days."

Ted was shocked. "There's another MacLaren's?" he asked in amazement. "Wow, knowing there's another pub with the same name, makes it feel like the East Side's a parallel universe somehow."

Tracy laughed. "Like a mirror universe out of _Star Trek_, where everything's the same as the West Side but different, with evil versions of you and the people you know?"

Ted chuckled happily. She was funny _and_ a geek! "Exactly! I'd have a goatee and be a chain smoker, since that's what Evil Ted would do, and you... hmm. Given you're an East Side girl, I take it you're already the evil version of yourself?"

She giggled appreciatively. "No, no. I'm a West Side girl through and through. I went to Juilliard, but my boyfriend at the time went to NYU, so we hung out there a lot," she explained. "So my evil self is still wandering the streets of the East Side."

Ted noticed a group vacating the booth. He looked at Tracy and nodded his head towards it. "Wanna grab a booth? I'll buy you another drink, and you can tell me a bit about what Nice Tracy is like."

So they settled into the booth, Ted making the bold move to sit beside her rather than across from her. They ordered a second round of drinks, and Ted turned his body towards her as she spoke, his arm stretched out alongside the back of the headboard, his fingers itching to run through the curls of her hair.

They didn't talk much about work or their childhoods or their hobbies; this wasn't a first date, after all. But they chatted about their love of New York, they talked about their favorite bands and movies, and went on and on about books. It may have seemed like superficial talk, but as she spoke about how she adored T.C. Boyle's prose in _World's End_, and as he quoted Pablo Neruda to her, he felt like they were talking deep into one another's souls.

Tracy was amazing, Ted thought. He felt a connection with her he had never felt before. He felt he could be himself—his dorky, sometimes pretentious self—around her, and he was getting a glimpse into her beautiful and geeky personality, too. And he liked it. _A lot. _Tracy was definitely the type of girl he would like to take out to dinner, go on a stroll with, learn more about her past, and her dreams for the future. He wanted to know everything about her.

But then there was the reality of it: Ted was leaving for Chicago in two months. He should've met her in another life, in another time. But you just can't change the past; what's done is done. Right now, he couldn't date this girl as there was no future for them, no tomorrow. So all he could do, instead, was ask:

"Do you maybe want to come back to my place?"

Tracy paused briefly, nervously looking down into her empty glass. Ted gazed at her hopefully, wanting desperately to continue their evening together for a few more hours, to spend some extra time with her, even though it was only for that night. It wasn't enough, but it'd have to do.

She finally looked up and into his eyes, stating one word with assuredness and confidence in her voice.

"Yes."

_To be continued..._


	2. One Night

_And we made it to chapter 2! Sorry for the delay: work, life, and other last-minute stories got in the way. I'm not quite sure I'm happy with this chapter, admittedly. I had so many high hopes for it, but with all the ideas I wanted to include, I feel the whole thing just drags on a bit. (It's quite lengthy!) I simply hope I conveyed Tracy's POV properly, as well as the different emotions she's facing. Anyway, any feedback is greatly appreciated. Enjoy!_

* * *

_I can't believe I'm doing this!_ thought Tracy as she and Ted sat in the backseat of a cab, on their way to his apartment. They both smiled at each other nervously, not touching, save for their thighs that were lightly pressed against one another, sending shivers down Tracy's spine.

This was certainly dispelling the vision she had of one-night-stands, which included fervent making out in the backseat of a cab. Ted was being a gentleman, it seemed, to a girl he was just using for sex and was never going to see again. And Tracy really appreciated that; she felt as if she was in over her head a little bit, and could use the time to mentally prepare herself before jumping in fully.

Tracy really didn't know how she had managed to do this; she didn't even think she had it in her.

Tracy had only broken up with Lewis a month earlier. She had tried to make the relationship work, she really did; after all, it was a big step for her to even go out with him in the first place, seven years after Max's passing. She took a big leap opening her life, her heart and her body to another person, and she was proud of herself. _Maybe moving on_ is _possible_, she had thought at the time. _Maybe there_ is _more than one person out there for everyone. Maybe I_ can _love again._

But then she started noticing the little things: how he would absently toss the Saturday morning paper before she could get to the crossword puzzle. How he wouldn't sing along with her in the mornings during breakfast. How he hardly ever came to see any of Superfreakonomics' shows.

When she'd complain to her friends, they'd simply tell her to suck it up. None of _their_ boyfriends took interest in their hobbies, after all. That's just what guys were like.

_Not all guys_, thought Tracy, Max as always on her mind; with his beautiful quirks, the way he always supported and challenged her, and how he appreciated her completely. Maybe she had just gotten lucky with him. Maybe it was dangerous for her to compare all guys to her dead boyfriend.

She wasn't likely to hit the jackpot again, to be that lucky once more. Her heart would always belong to Max, she realized. And she had accepted it, breaking up with Lewis and going back to her solitary existence.

And this led to another revelation: that she should perhaps separate love from sex. Tracy had to admit, sex with Lewis after seven years of celibacy was mind-blowing; it was something she didn't know she needed until she experienced it again. She had been living off of vibrators and her own hand during that lengthy time, making good use of her imagination, which she thought was enough. That is, until she felt someone's lips and fingers on her skin again, the weight of a body pressing down on hers, a man moving inside of her.

Now that Tracy was single, and was planning on being single for the rest of her life, she had decided that she needed sexual gratification. Her heart would always belong to Max, but at least she could share her body with someone. So she thought she'd engage in casual sex. She had never been the type, and admittedly could never really understand when her friends would engage in it; but now she understood the urge and the need. And she had decided she was going to try it out for herself.

It wasn't easy. The past couple of weeks, she'd go to bars alone, and would wait to get hit on. That was the easy part; guys tended to hit on her wherever she went, whether she was in a relationship, or when she was single and in mourning, and not particularly looking for male attention or companionship.

So men would come sit with her at the bar and offer to buy her a drink, using lame pick-up lines which had her fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Her friends had advised her to not question a guy's looks or personality when it came to a one-night-stand; after all, she wasn't looking for "the one". But, somehow, Tracy was still picky on the type of guy she was going to have sex with; she still had standards. Or maybe her never-ending list of deal breakers was still a way for her to keep men at arm's length due to her nervousness. After all, every time a guy would finally invite her over to his place, she'd excuse herself to go to the bathroom, and then disappear out the back door.

It took two weeks and seven failed attempts. And that night, Tracy was trying once again, hoping she could finally get out of her comfort zone. She had decided on MacLaren's on the West Side, a place she had gone for a drink with Lewis once.

She looked around the place, at the slobbering guys hitting on other women, the groups of girls sitting together and laughing, the happy couples who were enjoying an evening out, Tracy's heart aching a bit at the latter sight.

And then she spotted Ted, whom she caught staring at her; and she immediately felt something, a connection, a spark. The first thing she noticed was how familiar he looked, but she couldn't quite place his face. The second was the fact that he was really cute, and despite his intense gaze, he looked very sweet, putting her at ease instantly. His sweetness was quickly confirmed after a few minutes of chatting with him.

He was funny and dorky, and had great taste in books. A bit on the pretentious side, she noted, but he still came off as a nice and genuine guy. _This_ is what she had been looking for. Even if it was only for sex, she needed _some_ connection with a man, making her comfortable enough to follow him back to his place and let him do whatever he wanted to her.

Heck, Ted was so amazing, he was the exact type of guy she would probably normally date... _No, Tracy!_ she reminded herself. _Your heart is closed for business. You are going to fuck this guy and that is it!_

And after a fun conversation, Ted looked at her with his deep brown eyes, and invited her over to his apartment. And Tracy amazed herself when her answer came out of her lips, easier than she thought it would: "Yes."

* * *

The cab rolled to a stop outside a large and gorgeous apartment complex on West 82nd. Ted paid the cabbie, and they both stepped out of the taxi, Ted leading the way inside.

It was a quiet elevator ride up to the fourth floor, Ted and Tracy both nervously smiling at one another and then looking down at the ground shyly. _At least I'm not the only nervous one in this elevator_, she thought, slightly relieved. They strolled quietly down the hall in the direction of his apartment. Ted dug into his coat pocket for his key, and inserted it into the keyhole, popping the door open.

"So, here we are," Ted said, ushering her in first.

Tracy looked around his space, noting that it was tidy and very nicely decorated. She was impressed, actually.

"Did you decorate the place yourself?" she asked him as she shrugged off her coat, Ted quickly by her side to take it off her hands.

"Yep," he confirmed, as he walked over to the hall closet and began hanging up their jackets. "I have an eye for detail, I guess."

"You sure you're not gay?" she asked him teasingly, as they kicked off their boots.

Ted laughed. "Even though gay men love me," he boasted, "I'm not. I'm just an architect, so design and décor are a few of my passions."

"An architect…" Tracy repeated, something nagging at the back of her mind. She knew that Ted looked familiar, and the fact that he was an architect rang some bells, but she couldn't place her finger on it. So she shrugged it off.

"So what do you do?" he asked as he disappeared into the kitchen. He quickly returned with a bottle of red wine and two glasses, the both of them migrating over to the couch.

"I'm in business school," she told him as he poured her a glass, handing it to her, and then pouring one for himself. "Almost done in a couple of months, actually."

"Well, cheers to that," he said, clinking his glass with hers.

They sipped their wine, Tracy appreciating the liquid courage. Particularly as Ted was gazing at her softly, his fingers reaching for hair, running them through her curls. She reveled at the look in his eyes and at the light touch, eager to have those fingers elsewhere on her body.

He began to lean forward, Tracy doing the same, and then closed the gap between them as she pressed her lips to his. Perhaps more rough than she had hoped but Ted didn't seem to mind as he chuckled appreciatively against her lips, which turned Tracy on even more.

They were both still awkwardly holding their wine glasses. Ted pulled away, his breath erratic, and he took Tracy's glass from her hands, and placed them both on the table. His hands now free, he looked back at her with an intense gleam in his eye, which made Tracy's stomach flutter. His hands were now at her waist, and he went back to kissing her, his lips soft and gentle; his tongue eager but not too forceful. In a word, his kiss was simply perfect.

She moaned against his mouth, which Ted took as a good sign, and he gently pushed her back against the couch. Tracy spread her legs instinctively, giving Ted room to settle between them, pressing his body closer to hers.

It was his turn to moan, as she cradled him between her thighs, moving her hips forward tentatively, feeling Ted's hardness against her inner thigh. Tracy couldn't help but grin against his lips. She was pleased with herself that she could elicit such a bodily reaction from him; it felt good to clearly be wanted, to feel sexy, giving her an added boost of confidence.

"You comfortable?" he asked softly as he pushed her deeper into the cushions, adjusting both their bodies into a horizontal position.

Tracy couldn't think clearly enough to give a formal answer; the best she could do was let out an "uh-huh" as she breathed in his scent, a blend of his after-shave and Ivory soap.

She kept one foot on the ground for leverage, with the other leg wrapped around Ted's hips as he grinded against her. Tracy slipped her hands under his shirt, stroking the soft skin of his lower back.

Tracy felt his hands move from her hips, to the front of her jeans. As his fingers reached for her button, Tracy pulled back. "What's wrong?" Ted asked breathlessly, looking down at her with concern in his eyes.

"I… don't know," she admitted. _What are you doing, McConnell? Don't chicken out now!_

"You're nervous," he said knowingly. Tracy liked that he could read her like that. And that there wasn't a judgmental tone in his voice. He pulled away a bit to give her some space.

"A little bit," she admitted, sitting back up again, smoothing down her sweater. "Sorry. I've just never had sex with a perfect stranger before."

"You don't have to do this, you know," he said, his voice kind and soft. "This sort of thing isn't for everyone."

She smiled. "Convincing a potential one-night-stand to _not_ sleep with you isn't exactly the best way to go about getting laid," she told him matter-of-factly.

He laughed heartily. A warm, appreciative laugh that made Tracy feel good inside. It had been awhile since a man had openly laughed at her jokes. "You may be right," he conceded. "But I would never force someone into doing something they don't want to do."

"But that's the thing: I _want_ to!" Tracy said hurriedly, assuring him. "I _really_ do. I just need to… gather my bearings. Can I use your bathroom?"

"Of course," he said, pointing behind her. "It's right over there."

Tracy stood up on shaky legs and walked over to the bathroom, turning on the lights and shutting the door behind her. She leaned against the counter and looked at herself in the mirror, her hair slightly messy, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glassy. She could feel it in her body: she wanted this, she wanted _him_. Bad. But despite having her foot in the door, something was keeping her from taking that final step.

Tracy had never been the bold type. She never did anything risky or stupid. So this was new to her. To step out of her comfort zone, and do something so out-of-character, was both thrilling yet terrifying. And she knew overthinking it wasn't helping; she just needed to pull the bandage off and get it done.

_Don't think; just do_, she thought, enlisting it as her new mantra.

Tracy then had an idea. Something she had never tried, but which was truly bold and fearless. Once she did it and was out there and Ted saw her, she wouldn't be able to turn back. It was perfect; it was foolproof. (Well, 66% foolproof...) And she'd better do it now, Tracy told herself, before she chickened out and came up with an excuse to go home.

She quickly disrobed, hastily pulling off her clothes, before neatly folding them up and placing the pile on the sink counter. She looked at herself in the mirror one last time, glancing at herself, pleased at how her naked body looked. She had lost a lot of weight after Max passed away, and it was only in the last couple of years that she'd been able to maintain a healthy body weight. She liked what she saw in the mirror, loved her body and could admit that she looked pretty darned sexy right then.

_You could do this_, she told herself confidently, nodding her head and pulling open the bathroom door.

She exited the bathroom quietly, spotting Ted sitting still down on the couch, looking down at his hands. He seemed lost in thought, and Tracy oddly had the urge to sit next to him and ask him what he was thinking, how he was feeling. But now wasn't the time. So she stood there for a few seconds, hands at her hips, hoping her stance was sexy and inviting, waiting for him to look up. Still nothing.

_Well, this is awkward_, Tracy thought, her nervousness rising to the surface again. She cleared her throat to get his attention.

And boy, did she: Ted looked up, is eyes widening at the sight of her. His lips curled into an appreciative smile.

"What are you doing?" he asked her softly.

"I'm doing the Naked Man," she stated boldly, puffing her chest out. "Well, Naked Woman... Either way, I hear it's a good move."

"It _is_ a good move," he agreed, his gaze darting to her breasts and then back up into her eyes. "But how do you know the Naked Man?"

"My friend Mitch tried to pull this move one me once," she explained.

Ted's eyes widened. "You know Mitch?!" he asked incredulously.

Tracy arms dropped to her sides. "Wait, _you_ know Mitch? How?"

Ted laughed. "He actually succeeded in getting my friend Robin to sleep with him!" A look of horror then washed over his face. "Oh, God: you didn't have sex with him, did you?"

Tracy made a face. "No! No no no no no! Ew, no!" she said, shuddering at the thought. "I mean, he's a good friend, but no."

Ted looked relieved. "Ok then."

They continued to stare at each other, for what felt like a long time. Ted's gaze wandered from her eyes down her body, and back up again. It was a warm and ardent look he was giving her, one that made her blush. He wanted her; it was obvious. And she wanted him. Preferably without his clothes on.

"So... can you come here now?" she finally said. "Because I'm getting cold just standing here like this. And it feels weird being the only naked person in the room."

Ted chuckled and stood up, taking three long and purposeful steps, and was now standing before her. He gazed at her, fervor and desire in his eyes, and reached for her waist, pulling her towards him. His lips were quickly on hers, kissing her deeply. It was hot, passionate, and rough. His one hand was in her hair, gently tangling in her curls, but the other was pressed against her lower back, his fingers moving lower until...

Her eyes popped open as he placed a firm hand on her backside, resting it there as he continued to kiss her, a frisky finger slipping lightly between her cheeks. Tracy's arms wrapped around his neck, and she immediately pressed her whole body flush against his, practically every inch of her touching every inch of him. It was amazing how their bodies just seemed to fit together perfectly.

"Why are you still wearing clothes?" Tracy asked frustratedly, her fingers wandering to his hair, tangling between the short, soft strands.

"That can be rectified very quickly, I promise," he growled out, the hand in her hair curling to the back of her neck, pushing her closer to deepen the kiss. Tracy moaned against his lips, and the warm feeling in her belly intensified. God, she wanted him. Now.

"Couch?" she asked desperately as Ted proceeded to kiss down her throat.

"Wall?" he suggested, Tracy's fingers in his hair as his lips ventured lower, to her chest.

"Floor could be good," she offered, her breasts now the focus of his attention.

"How about the boring ol' bed?" he asked. Her gentle hand guided Ted's head, holding him close to her chest, briefly wondering if he'd get the hint if she nudged his head downwards some more...

"You're such a romantic," she breathed out teasingly. "Where's the bedroom?"

Ted laughed. "Upstairs. Think we can make it?"

Tracy groaned. "I don't think my legs can carry me up there," she admitted, her legs still shaky and feeling like jelly.

"I can carry you," he teased, standing up straight again. His hands moved to her behind, lacing his fingers together and cupping the underside of her cheeks firmly. "Hop on 3. One, two—"

Tracy arched an eyebrow. "Simmer down there, Prince Charming." She raised herself up on her toes, giving Ted a slow, tantalizing kiss. Her fingers went straight to the buttons of his shirt, starting to undo them as she walked backward towards the stairs, Ted following along, his hands on her hips, guiding her.

They stumbled up the stairs, Tracy's attention half on Ted's shirt the other half on the steps, as she feared they would trip and fall in their haste. But they made it upstairs safely, Tracy tossing his now undone shirt over the railing, and it sailed back down towards the living room. They staggered into his bedroom where she was now able to focus 100% on the man in front of her.

As they pulled apart, the haze in Tracy's head cleared a bit, and she was suddenly aware of the room around her. Modern furniture, a few cool paintings, plenty of books on the shelf. And, of course, it was very tidy. It really put her shabby, oft-messy bedroom to shame.

"Nice room," she offered, her hands reaching for the hem of Ted's undershirt and pulling it up over his head.

"Thanks," Ted said, his hair adorably messy from the hasty way Tracy pulled off the shirt.

"You bring a lot of girls up here?" she asked him as she reached for his belt, slowly unbuckling it. She wasn't sure why she had asked that, or why she oddly cared. But she was curious.

Ted's reaction surprised her: he stilled, his hands no longer roaming her body, and he blushed. "Well, some. I mean, it's been a couple of months," he said nervously. "But I don't normally... I mean, I used to..."

Tracy felt bad. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked!" she said, her hand instinctively reaching for his and giving it a reassuring squeeze. _Whoa. Whatcha doing there, Trace?_

But he took it gratefully, not letting go. He let out a sigh and sat down at the foot of the bed, pulling Tracy down next to him.

"No, it's ok," he assured her. "It's just, I used to be that guy, when I was younger, or in between relationships. But now—well, for a long time now—I've been wanting to settle down, get married, the whole thing. It hasn't worked out for me, though. So I'm actually moving in a couple of months; I'm hoping a new city will offer me a fresh start, with work, with my love life..."

He looked up at her, Tracy noting the sad and longing look in his eyes. He seemed defeated, like life had cheated him out of the good stuff, and now he was giving up and running away.

Tracy definitely knew what that felt like; the universe had definitely dealt her a crappy hand, and she'd been running ever since. But she respected Ted for taking a step and trying to change his fate, even if it probably seemed like he was fleeing with his tail between his legs. If only she had the courage to continue on, to try and love again. She figured she wasn't as strong or as hopeful as Ted.

"Fuck, I'm sorry," Ted said at Tracy's silence. "I shouldn't have poured my heart out like that. It was just to say that I don't do this often, I'm not really _that guy_ anymore. I've just... been feeling lonely lately, I guess."

He continued to hold on to her hand, gripping it tight like a lifeline. He looked at her sheepishly. "One night stands don't usually include the guy pouring his heart out like this. Definitely don't use this as a frame of reference."

Tracy laughed. "Noted," she said, hoping to lighten things up a bit. "But thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one who's messed-up, relationship-wise."

"What's your story?" Ted asked her, his thumb stroking the top of her hand in a soothing, rhythmic motion. She wasn't sure if it was meant to comfort him, or her.

He had poured his heart out to her, and she felt she should pour hers out to him. She felt she could trust him; he obviously seemed to be able to trust her, too. But she didn't want to go into detail about Max, about how opening up her heart to someone again was one of the hardest things to do, that she wanted love and companionship, but didn't know how to do it again, scared that it may eventually lead to heartbreak and loss like it did the first time. Tracy didn't make this wild decision tonight to get any emotions involved; so she had to be careful with what she said and did.

Tracy shrugged. "I just... decided to put my heart on permanent hiatus. Love and emotions are hard. I just figured sex would be easier."

"Bad breakup?" Ted asked, a knowing look in his eyes.

"You could say that," she said quietly. _If only he knew..._

"Been there," Ted commiserated. "I hope you open up your heart again someday, though. I admit, I don't know you all that well, but you seem pretty amazing. Any guy would be lucky to have you in his life."

Tracy blushed. "Maybe," she said softly. "I'll think about it. But for now..."

Ted grinned. "For now, we enjoy tonight," he said hungrily, leaning forward go give her a kiss.

He began to unzip his pants, quickly standing up to shimmy out of his jeans and boxers, sitting back down to embrace her some more. Tracy was glad to get back to this; his words were all too real and too packed with emotion. He spoke so sweetly and openly to her, and her chest ached at how much faith he had in her, that she deserved love. She wished it were that easy. And to hear it coming out of Ted's lips, the way he looked at her... it left Tracy with a weird sense of yearning, which she was now trying to push deep in the back of her mind.

So she was grateful to get back to the purpose of her evening, to be able to not think for a while. Or at least, to not think of anything other than the now-naked Ted who was sitting beside her. Ted, who hovered above Tracy as she began crawling backwards onto the bed. Ted, whose lips and hands were now roaming up and down her body, from the curves of her breasts to the warmth between her legs.

For her part, Tracy was content to explore a new man's body. She'd only been with two people in her life, whose bodies were polar opposites. She was only 18 when she first had sex with Max, whose physique was still basically that of a teenager, thin and lanky, and still learning to use it to please her. But it was one she continued to love as it matured, for three more years until he passed away at 21.

Then there was Lewis, whose body was something out of _Playgirl _magazine. He spent a lot of time at the gym, which led to defined abs, a chiseled chest, and muscled arms. He was a great lover and clearly knew what he was doing; and she strangely adored the stark contrast between her tiny frame and his large, imposing one. Towards the end of their relationship, however, the great sex was all they had left.

Ted's fell somewhere in the middle. He was nowhere near as fit as Lewis, but he had a _man_'s body compared to Max's boyish one. Ted had thin but strong arms, Tracy appreciating the way his muscles flexed as he held himself up above her. His chest looked fit and strong, covered with a healthy mass of hair, and as her eyes trailed down to his stomach, she smiled at his poochy beer belly. It didn't take away from his sexiness; it just made him more human. As for his cock, firm and taut as her fingers grasped at it, it seemed like the perfect length and girth. Of course, she wanted to find out if he knew how to use it.

They continued to embrace and explore, Tracy writhing underneath the weight of his body. This had to happen now, she decided; she was way past the point of no return.

"Ted," she murmured against his lips, pressing herself up against him.

"Okay," he said, understanding in his voice. Gaging from his shallow breathing, he was ready to go, too.

Ted positioned himself above her, nestling between her wide-open thighs. But as he looked down into her eyes, Tracy's heart caught in her throat. _Whoa_, she thought. This was getting too real, too... intimate. Looking into his warm eyes was going to be dangerous; she could easily see herself getting lost in them.

"Maybe I should turn around," she suggested, wanting to do anything to keep this night from turning into something more than it was.

"Yeah, I think that may be for the best," Ted agreed, his voice hoarse.

So Tracy turned herself over, on all fours. Ted helped her get comfortable, handing her a pillow to place under her forearms as she held herself up. She let her upper body relax, while sticking out her lower half, slightly self-conscious. But she then heard Ted's breath hitch at the sight, and Tracy was glad that he couldn't see the smile that was presently playing on her lips. She felt shy at the fact that she was showing herself to him like this, but also felt pretty sexy, wondering what Ted was thinking or feeling as he looked at her.

"Amazing," he murmured, and she buried her face into the pillow at his words, her teeth biting into the soft cotton. God, she wanted him inside her so bad.

The mattress underneath her shifted as Ted moved around behind her. She heard the sound of a condom wrapper being torn open and, after a few seconds, she felt Ted's fingers gently clutch her hips, pulling her closer to him. The anticipation coursed through her, her entire body trembling in excitement. Tracy missed this feeling.

She soon felt Ted press himself against her, and then slide into her with ease. They both sighed at the contact, Tracy's eyes shutting in pleasure. She briefly pondered how on earth she had gone seven long years without this.

They were both still for a few brief seconds, Tracy adjusting to having Ted inside of her. She quickly arched her back and flexed her muscles around him, which urged him to begin moving. He started to thrust in wonderful, luxuriously slow movements, Tracy pressing back against him in tandem. He definitely seemed to have a way with his hips, she noticed.

They continued to move together, Ted steadying Tracy with his hands as he slid in and out of her. Every time she arched her back, he went in deeper, Tracy murmuring words of approval. She appreciated that he wasn't jackhammering into her, that he was clearly not just looking to get himself off. But, she eventually had to admit: a little extra speed would be nice.

"This working for you?" Ted whispered from behind her.

"Faster," she breathed out.

Tracy could practically _hear_ him smile as he said, "Sure," visualizing his telltale grin that she has already gotten to know quite well tonight.

He quickened the pace as told, Tracy matching him thrust for thrust. He wrapped an arm around her waist for balance, probably to keep from digging his fingers into her sides any harder. But she loved this new stance, Ted firmly holding her backside close to his front, the both of them gyrating wildly.

Tracy's hips were getting tired though, so she slowly began to sit back up. Ted, still inside, helped reposition her, now sitting up on her knees, Tracy practically sitting on Ted's lap, her back almost flush against his chest.

He gently brushed her hair aside and kissed the back of her neck as their movements continued, Ted's hands sliding around to her front, one at her breast, the other venturing lower, starting to thumb her clit. Tracy's hands snaked back between them to massage his testicles. They continued to rock wildly, Tracy craning her neck to sneak a glance at Ted, who looked up from where he was nibbling the curve between her neck and shoulder.

They locked eyes—passion and desire shining through—which was both their undoing. Tracy shut her eyes tight as she came, crying out as her body shook, and heard Ted's own soft grunts close against her ear.

Tracy's heart was beating wildly as they slowed to a stop, Ted still holding her close against him. They sat like that for awhile, their heartbeats slowing back down to a normal pace, until Tracy began shifting on top of him. She crawled off of him and collapsed onto her back on the bed. Ted followed suit, lying down next to her.

_Whoa_, thought Tracy. _I can't believe I just did that!_ She knew this was her ultimate goal of the evening, but she never expected it to be so amazing, so passionate, so... easy. Or maybe it was simply Ted who helped make it such a comfortable experience. She shyly cast a glance his way, and she caught him staring at her, too.

"Hey," he said, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"Hey," she echoed, unable to hide the giddiness in her voice.

"That was amazing," he told her.

"Eh, it was all right ," said Tracy nonchalantly.

Ted's eyes widened and Tracy giggled. "I'm kidding! I'm so sorry; I tend to make jokes at the most inappropriate times. You were great. More than great, actually."

Ted chuckled, relieved. "Thanks. You were more than great, too."

Tracy was unsure of what the next move should be. Should they cuddle? Was she supposed to get up and leave now? But then Ted reached out his arm, motioning for her to come closer. So she curled up against him, letting his arm cradle her back as she rested a hand on his chest. They lay there in comfortable silence, until Ted spoke up: "So, was this what you expected?" The tone in his voice sounded curious and hopeful.

"More than that," she told him. "Thanks for making this a safe and relaxed experience for me. I think I would've been a basket case otherwise."

Ted smiled at her. "Anytime," he murmured, as he continued to stare at her.

"I should get home," she told him softly, suddenly shy under his soft and serious gaze. She wasn't quite ready for the emotions that were starting to stir up inside.

Ted paused for a long time, still gazing at her intensely, before he spoke up. She wasn't sure what was going on in his head, but his tone sounded resigned when he answered, "Yeah, you're right."

They both reluctantly rolled out of bed, and Ted wordlessly walked out of the bedroom, Tracy curiously watching his naked form disappear out the door. Her confusion was quickly assuaged when Ted reappeared with her clothes in his hands.

"I remember you left these in the bathroom," he said, handing them back to her.

Tracy smiled appreciatively at the gesture, and they both silently began to get dressed. She occasionally snuck a glance at Ted as he put his clothes back on, feeling a sense of loss as his skin started to get covered up by denim and cotton. Her wild, crazy and perfect night was officially coming to a close, and she was going to have to say goodbye to Ted. She knew this is what she had signed up for, but some part of her didn't want to let him go.

They made their way downstairs, where Tracy grabbed her purse and Ted retrieved their boots and coats, shrugging his on and helping Tracy into hers. "You heading back out now?" she asked him.

"No, no," he said, checking his pocket for his keys. "Work in the morning. I just want to make sure you find a cab ok."

Tracy's heart warmed. "You're really going out of your way for just a one-night-stand," she said teasingly, hoping her joke would hide the fact that she was touched at his thoughtfulness.

Ted blushed. "Don't call yourself that," he said softly, then looking up into her eyes. "Besides, despite what this is, I still want to make sure you get home safely." He paused. "Is that ok? Um, I don't want to overstep any boundaries. I know there are casual sex rules to follow."

Tracy waved her hand dismissively. "If there is a casual sex protocol, I wouldn't know what it is, so we can make up our own rules," she told him. "And thank you. You're a sweet guy, Ted."

He smiled bashfully. "Thanks," he said, pulling open the door for her. "Come on: let's get you home."

They made their way downstairs and outside, and Ted rushed to the sidewalk, flagging down a cab for her.

As a cab stopped in front of them, Ted and Tracy looked at each other. "Well..." Ted began.

"I guess this is it," Tracy said, a tone of disappointment in her voice. She knew climbing into the cab and driving off was the next step, but she wasn't all that happy to say goodbye to Ted. There was just something about him, a pull, that had Tracy hooked. She wanted more of him. But she knew that she couldn't be selfish; all they had was tonight.

"Goodnight," Ted said, wrapping his arms around her in a warm hug.

"Goodnight," she echoed, her arms now around his waist. She held on a little bit longer than was necessary, breathing him in one final time before pulling away. She gave him a final look, and turned her body towards the cab.

"Hey, do you want to do this again sometime?" she heard his voice from behind her. She tried to hide her grin as she turned back to look at him. He continued nervously: "I think you're great, and that was pretty fun, and I just thought..."

Tracy smiled. Seeing Ted again was something to look forward to; she hadn't looked forward to anything in a long time. "Sure," she said, reaching in her purse for her phone. "Although, if we do this again, if falls outside the realms of a one-night-stand."

"True," he said, handing his phone over to her and grabbing hers, beginning to type his contact info into her phone. "Unless we go for a friends-with-benefits situation? I mean, I'm leaving in a couple of months, and you're not looking for anything serious. We could just… keep each other company for a while?"

"I'd like that," she said, her smile wide, exchanging phones. _Especially if it means I can stop trying to pick up guys in bars for a while._ "I'll call you next time I'm free."

"I'm looking forward to it," he said happily, reaching for the car door and holding it open for her.

She stepped in, and Ted gently shut the door behind her. He gave her a wave goodbye through the window, and she did the same. As the cab drove off, Tracy snuck a glance behind her, and there was Ted, still standing on the sidewalk, watching the taxi drive away.

Tracy turned her head forward, and finally breathed out an "Omigod!", amazed and happy at the evening she'd just had and, perhaps slightly more so, with the new friend she'd made. She reached into her purse for her phone and began texting.

_Kelly! You will NOT believe what I just did!_

_To be continued..._


	3. Falling Slowly

_Chapter 3 is here, and way sooner than I thought I'd have it up! (Yay!) I'm alternating each chapter with Ted and Tracy's POVs. Now, it's Ted' s turn. Enjoy!_

* * *

"Ted, Ted, Ted! Look at that blonde by the jukebox!" Barney told Ted, not-so-discreetly, as they sat at their usual booth at MacLaren's. "You _know_ you just want to nestle your face in _those_!"

Ted turned his body around and peered at the buxom woman, who was leaning up against the jukebox, Whitesnake's "Slide It In" starting to play. She nodded her head in tune with the song and was toying with the straw of her drink, trying to make it look seductive. It wasn't working. At least not for Ted.

He turned back to look at his friend, shrugging his shoulders. "Good song choice, but she's nothing special," Ted admitted. "Besides, aren't you engaged?" He looked at Robin who was sitting right next to him.

Robin and Barney gazed at each other lovingly and laughed. "Dude, I have my own set to stick my face in on the regular," he said, taking Robin's hand on the table and squeezing it affectionately. "She's for _you_! You're leaving in a month, and I want to be your wingman a few more times before you go. Besides, you're a single man in the greatest city in the world; take advantage of that before you move to, ugh, _Chicago_..." There was a tone of disgust in his voice.

Ted chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, I've got that covered," he told them.

Barney gave Robin a concerned look, and then looked back at his friend. "Right, I forgot. The so-called perfect girl you've been banging. Bro, you're monogamous even in your sexploits!"

Ted and Tracy had been sleeping together for about a month, and he had to admit: it's been a pretty amazing month. He wasn't quite sure what compelled him to ask to see her again. They had sex that first night, they said their goodbyes, but as he watched her about to step into a cab and disappear from his life forever, something urged him to speak up.

He did, and here they were a month later, still enjoying one another's company. They saw each other a few times a week, 3 or 4 depending on their schedules, or when the desire struck. The sex was amazing, exciting and explorative, and Ted wasn't ashamed to admit that, sometimes, sex wasn't even involved. They'd go out and grab a bite to eat, then head back to his place, either for sex or simply to watch a movie or a television show.

It had the ease and comfort of a dating relationship, but with an expiration date and certain limits. They always hung out at his place; they actually didn't reveal their last names to one another; Tracy never spent the whole night; and they kept personal info about each other to a minimum. He knew her name was Tracy, she was in business school, was from New Jersey, hated sushi, loved classical music, she was of Irish and Italian descent, and he knew a slew of her favourite books, movies and bands.

She knew his name was Ted, he was an architect, was moving to Chicago, originally from Ohio, was allergic to bacon, was half-Jewish, and he loved the works of Pablo Neruda and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Ted wanted to know more about Tracy—he _knew_ there was so much more to her underneath—but they both agreed sharing very little about each other was for the best. They couldn't get too invested in one another, after all; Ted already liked her quite a bit from the little he knew of her. If he got even more evidence of how amazing she was, he knew he'd be in trouble.

One part of him cursed the universe for not having them meet at a different time in their lives, a time when Tracy wasn't looking for something casual and Ted wasn't planning on leaving New York. But given that their situation was what it was, Ted was just thankful to have her in his life, albeit for a short period of time. They were having a great time together—she was warm, witty, and just plain fun to be around—and he couldn't think of a more wonderful woman to spend his last few weeks in New York with.

"Maybe I am," Ted was now saying to Barney. "But is that so wrong? I feel like I'm getting everything I need from her; I see no point in looking elsewhere."

"But Ted, there are so many types of New York girls you've yet to bang!" Barney began, sounding exasperated. "Aspiring Fashion Week models! PR industry workaholics with a need for sexual release! 4s who think they're 10s! 10s with the insecurity normally found in 4s! It is my job—nay, my broccupation—to make sure you get through all these women and then some before you jet off!" His face then lit up. "You can make it my wedding present!"

It was at that moment that Marshall and Lily entered the bar, sitting down with them at the booth. "Guys," Ted said, turning to them. "Tell Barney that I don't need to sleep with a crapload of women before I move to Chicago."

"No, I agree with Barney," said Marshall seriously. "Before you meet the love of your life in Chicago, you need to have as much wild sex as possible with different women."

Lily gave her husband an amused look. "Says the man who banged a total of zero other women before he got hitched."

Marshall blushed. "Baby, this isn't me we're talking about. As you know, Barney and I live vicariously through Ted since he's the last single guy among us. We need to hear details of his one-night-stands: locations, positions..."

"Boob size, clit size, what excuse he used to get her to leave..." Barney continued to list off. "We _need_ this. But all we got about this new girl is that they cuddled while watching _When Harry Met Sally_ together."

"Hey, we both love that movie!" Ted said defensively. "We both believe it's the ultimate love letter to New York City!"

"That's so hot, Mosby," said Robin, trying to keep from laughing.

"Guys, c'mon," Ted said softly. "She's a great girl. I'm not going to demean her by telling you guys how she likes it or how often we do it. It's between her and me. And I like not having to chase a different girl night after night; and I know none of them compare to her, so what's the point?"

"I'm on Ted's side," said Lily.

Ted smiled at his friend. "_Thank_ you!"

"I think what Ted is doing with Stacy—"

Ted frowned. "Tracy," he corrected her.

"Sorry. With Tracy. I think it's smart," she continued. "They're getting consistent sex, and they're being safe. After all, he doesn't want to infect this bimbo with anything he catches from other random bimbos he's sleeping with."

_Bimbo? _Ted thought, upset and angry at Lily's choice of word. "Hey!" he said, defending Tracy. "She's not a bimbo, Lil! She's smart, and she's funny, and she's just amazing—"

Lily laughed. "Relax, Ted. I know she's not a bimbo," she told him, flashing him a knowing smile. "I just said that to get evidence of what I've become aware of recently: you're in love with this girl!"

Everyone's eyes widened in realization.

"Omigod, he's in love with her!" cried out Robin.

"Of _course_ he's in love with her!" said Marshall, his arms in the air. "Why didn't I notice?"

"_Broooo_," Barney groaned. "The first rule of a fuck buddy is that you don't go and fall in love with them! Check out my blog archives; it's all there!"

"Well, except for you and me," Robin pointed out with a loving smile.

"We're the exception to the rule, Scherbatsky," he told her, leaning in to give her a kiss. He then looked at Ted. "But the only exception!"

Ted shook his head emphatically, trying to convince his friends otherwise, but his mind went back to an incident the previous week.

It was a day where Tracy had a long break between classes, and Ted had the day off, so she met him at his place for an afternoon romp. It was fun and satisfying, and when Tracy got dressed to head back to campus, he walked her to his door... and absently kissed her goodbye on the mouth.

Ted didn't know what happened; it just felt instinctual. They had both pretty much agreed that kissing was only allowed during sex, or as a prelude to it. Not afterwards, and certainly not while parting ways.

They both stood by his door frozen in place, shocked after what had just transpired. Tracy averted her gaze, mumbled that she had to go, and ran off without another word.

For the next 48 hours, she wouldn't respond to any of his calls or texts. Ted knew he had fucked up, that he'd crossed a line where it came to their agreement. Ted had resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't see her again, that his lapse in judgment had cost him a great deal. But on Wednesday night, just as he was getting ready for bed, his phone dinged, and a text from Tracy appeared on his screen: _Sorry I ran off like that. Are we still good?_

Ted breathed a sigh of relief. _We're more than good. And I'm the one who's sorry; I shouldn't have kissed you like that_, he typed back.

A few seconds later, she wrote back: _Can I stop by tomorrow night?_

And she did, and things had gone back to normal. Or at least, they were really good about ignoring what had transpired. Because Ted secretly continued to question why he had kissed her like he did; was it just that he felt comfortable, that their weeks together had felt so much like a relationship, a kiss goodbye simply felt natural? Yes, that had to be it, he told himself. It didn't mean he was falling in love with her.

Sure, she was the first person he thought about when he woke up in the morning, and the last one on his mind as he drifted off to sleep at night. And, yes, his life had certainly felt less dreary and lonely since she came into it, and he often wished his days would just fly by so that he could see her in the evening. But that absolutely did not mean that he was falling in love with her.

Or did it?

"Okay, let's say that—hypothetically—I'm in love with this girl. _Which I'm not!_" Ted emphasized, looking them each in the eyes. "What am I supposed to do? I'm moving in a month."

"Um, maybe you don't take that job in Chicago, stay here in New York, and have your happily-ever-after with this girl?" Marshall said, stating the obvious.

"It's not that simple, guys," Ted said. "Love is a two-way street. Tracy's not looking for a relationship; we went into this knowing it was for sex and nothing more. I can't just change the deal." Ted paused. "Besides, I'm not in love with her."

"Doth protest too much, Teddy boy," said Robin.

Barney smirked at his fiancée's words. "Seriously, bro. Just marry this girl already. You know you want to; I'm surprised you haven't already proposed to her in the middle of sex."

At that moment, Carl stopped by to bring Marshall and Lily their drinks. "We talking about that pretty girl Ted has been coming in here with lately?" he asked. They all nodded their heads. "Oh, yeah: he's totally in love with her." He then walked back behind the bar.

The gang looked back at Ted and they each gave him their best _we-told-you-so_ looks.

"You guys suck, you know that?" Ted told them, speaking loud enough so Carl could also hear him. "I can keep things casual, and that's what Tracy and I are doing. End of story."

"I'm just saying, Ted," said Lily, taking a sip of her drink. "Everything you've ever wanted and have been looking for may just be right in front of you. Or, you know, underneath you..."

As Marshall high-fived his wife and they all started laughing, quickly moving on to another subject, Ted let Lily's words sink in as he fiddled with the label of his beer, thumbing at it as shreds of paper starting trickling down onto the table. Was she right? Ted could admit that he was having strong feelings for Tracy, but were they more than merely those of fond admiration and sexual attraction? Could this new sensation he was feeling inside actually be love?

If so, Ted had some thinking to do. _A lot_ of thinking.

_To be continued..._


	4. Signs From the Universe

_So this took a while. Sorry for the delay: work, life, started taking a night class... Life gets busy! But I finally completed this chapter this morning and couldn't wait to post it! One more chapter to this story is left. Stay tuned, and thanks so much for reading! Feedback is always appreciated._

_Disclaimer: this story's mine, but I did incorporate dialogue originally featured in "Platonish" and "Last Forever". Those words belong to Carter Bays and Craig Thomas._

* * *

It was a Monday evening in early May, and Ted and Tracy were sitting in the booth at MacLaren's, each focused on the work in front of them. Ted had some exams to grade and Tracy was glued to her laptop, putting the finishing touches on her final paper. The semester was coming to a close, and the both of them were pretty swamped, but they made sure to make time for one another. After all, regular sex brought quite the relief amidst the end-of-semester stress.

They decided to grab a bite and a beer while they focused on their respective work, agreeing that once Ted graded half of his 40 test papers and Tracy completed her bibliography, they'd retreat to his apartment.

For now, Tracy was a bit frantic as she went through all her citations, but Ted's foot that was softly and playfully caressing her calf underneath the table was a comforting touch, more soothing than it was distracting. She smiled to herself and took a sip of her beer.

"Done!" Ted said proudly, stacking up his papers and slipping them into his shoulder bag. "And I've been given renewed hope that, so far, half my students have a firm grasp on neo-classical architecture." He reached over for his half-eaten burger and took a bite, sighing happily as he chewed.

"Well, you've earned your reward," she told him jokingly. "I'm almost done here; we'll get going soon."

"Take your time. This is nice, too," he said, giving her a soft smile.

She smiled back at him shyly, and then looked back at her laptop. Ted had been talking a lot like this lately, saying sweet words about how he enjoyed her company, how hanging out with her is always fun... Of course, she had to agree: she and Ted always had a great time together, even when their meet-ups didn't involve sex. But something had changed in Ted in recent weeks. She thought it had maybe something to do with the way he kissed her one day outside the bedroom a few weeks back, breaking one of the cardinal rules of their arrangement.

It had freaked the both of them out; she knew Ted felt horrible over it, judging by his apologetic texts after she had run off. As for Tracy, she needed some time to process what had happened. It felt different than their usual embraces, which were always eager and urgent. This one was leisurely, warm, and comforting. And it scared her, given that she was so certain she could separate sex from emotions. Yet there was Ted, accidentally kissing her as if she were his girlfriend, and she couldn't help herself: she enjoyed the kiss. _A lot. _

She took a couple of days to process what had happened. Was it an accident? Intentional? Did Tracy lead him on, making him think that she wanted something more than what they had? Did she inwardly _want_ something more? She tried to convince herself that she didn't, reminding herself that it was _Max_ whom she loved and missed. But, she had to admit: two days without Ted pretty much sucked.

So Tracy put these thoughts to the back of her mind and texted Ted, apologizing for running off and asking if they were still good. She was relieved when he wrote back, but flinched a bit when Ted admitted that he shouldn't have kissed her the way he did. _Of course he shouldn't have!_ Tracy told herself. _It was a mistake! A mistake..._

And things had quickly gone back to normal, Ted being good on his promise to not kiss her like that again. The sex was still great, and their time spent together was still blissful and fun. But she was wondering what was going on in Ted's head, if he was still secretly thinking of that kiss as much as she was, wondering if it meant anything more than they were both making it out to be.

But Tracy shook those dangerous thoughts from her mind. Ted was leaving for Chicago in three weeks, she told herself, which would put the whole thing to rest. It was nostalgia for a relationship-gone-by that had Tracy thinking what Ted might be like as a boyfriend, if making love to him would feel any different from the crazy sex they were having. Yes, she missed being in a relationship; or maybe it was just Max she was missing, and she was trying to fill that void with Ted. It was confusing for Tracy, which is why she just did her damnedest to not think about it.

Now at MacLaren's, Tracy continued to work for another 20 minutes before she was satisfied with her bibliography. "Done!" she breathed out happily, shutting down her laptop, sliding it into its sleeve, and then gently placed it into her tote bag. She leaned back against her set with a happy sigh, reaching for her beer.

Ted did the same with his, clinking his glass with hers. "To productivity!" he said happily.

"And to a well-earned break," she said, giving him a flirty grin. "Want to get out of here?"

Ted's smile widened, but before he could say anything, his eyes went to the bar entrance, where two women came in and were walking towards them. "My friends are here," he told her nervously. "I apologize in advance for anything they may say. They're real curious about you."

"It's ok," she assured him, secretly excited to meet his friends. As much as she and Ted avoided talking about their private lives, Ted was an animated storyteller, and spoke occasionally about his friends.

The two women made it to their booth, and they both shot Ted amused looks, and then gave Tracy wide, friendly grins.

"Hi!" said one of the two women, a tall brunette, as she sat next to Ted. "You must be Tracy. I'm Robin; It's so nice to meet you!"

"I'm Lily," said the short redhead. She peered down at Tracy's feet as she slid into the booth next to her. "I _love_ your boots! Where'd you get them?"

"Louboutin sample sale a few years back," Tracy told her, admitting to her shoe obsession. "90% off. It's the only way I could afford them."

"Well, they're gorgeous," said Lily, flashing her a kind smile. "So, what are you two up to?"

"We were just about to head out," Ted said, Tracy noting the cautious tone in his voice. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you all were busy tonight."

"Mickey offered to watch Marvin for the evening, so Marshall and I decided to take a break," said Lily.

"Yeah, and Barney and I were tired of going through the seating chart for the wedding," Robin explained. "So we needed a beer break before we tackled it again.

"So, where are the guys?" Ted asked, peering towards the door.

"Some guy drove up in a fancy red sports car, and they're both out there drooling over it," Lily said with a shrug of her shoulders. "They'll be in in a bit."

"So, Robin: a wedding chart!" Tracy began, making conversations with Ted's friends. "Ted told me you were getting married. Congratulations!"

Robin beamed. "Thank you! I'm normally not a wedding person, but I'm really excited, despite the details and logistics."

Tracy nodded sympathetically. "A piece of advice: be _very_ careful in regards to who sits next to whom. Believe me, from my experience, your big day won't keep people from getting into catfights. I've been to weddings where cops and ambulances were called in."

Robin cringed."Knowing my family, that could be a possibility," she said. "What makes you a wedding expert? Are you a wedding planner?"

Tracy laughed. "No, no: I'm in a band," she explained.

"You're in a band?" Ted asked softly.

Tracy smiled at him. She was amazed that she and Ted still had so much that they didn't know about each other. It was intentional of course, for obvious reasons, but they had gotten so close the past five weeks, that the fact that they were still technically strangers to one another surprised her at times.

"Yup," she told him. "I play bass and sing back-up vocals." _Thanks to Darren_, Tracy thought angrily to herself. _Jerk._

Ted's eyes shot up. "Did you say the bass?"

Robin and Lily then started laughing. "Uh-oh!" said Lily. "Ted has always said that his perfect woman plays bass."

Tracy looked over at Ted, who seemed to be shooting an embarrassed glare in Lily's direction. "I never said that," Ted said hurriedly, his cheeks red. "But that's pretty cool."

Tracy blushed, too. "Thanks," she said. "Um, anyway we play a lot of weddings, so I'm privy to things I don't want to be. Such as sobfests in the bathroom, a bridesmaid making out with the groom, an unhappy mother-in-law trying to sabotage the wedding... It can get crazy!"

Lily nodded. "You should've seen my wedding: my high school boyfriend showed up to put a stop to it! Luckily, he was kept away," she said happily. "It's a shame you weren't around when we were looking for a band for Robin and Barney's wedding; we had so much trouble trying to find one! Luckily, a great one panned out."

"It can be hard," Tracy admitted. "Bands book up fast; mine is booked for practically every weekend this summer. Our first gig is in three weeks in Farhampton."

Tracy saw Robin's jaw drop. "_I'm_ getting married in Farhampton in three weeks!" she cried, amazed. "Wait, _how'd_ you get this gig?"

She couldn't believe it; talk about a coincidence! "My ex-roommate. She bumped into an ex, who's the best man, and he said that their band had bailed. And she recommended us," Tracy explained. "So, wait: who's your best man?"

Robin giggled, shaking her head incredulously, and looked over at Ted. "Oh, best man..."

Tracy looked at Ted, who was now gazing at her in a way Tracy could describe as awe and disbelief. "You're Cindy's ex-roommate..." he murmured, a tone of wonder in his voice.

"Omigod," Tracy whispered.

It all started coming back to her. Cindy's ex, the architect professor. The one who accidentally taught ECON 305. The man who had admittedly caught Tracy's eye; the first to ever do so since Max's passing. The one she had claimed as hers for a few months, even though she knew she'd never see him again. That when Cindy admitted she was dating him, Tracy had felt a little stab in her heart, screaming _He's mine!_ in her head. The man who Cindy said was totally in love with Tracy, which left her feeling flustered, despite the fact that he'd never even met her.

Ted was that man.

She looked at him closer than she ever did, now remembering the soft eyes, the messy hair, and the dorky demeanor that had first attracted her to him. How, after a few months, he disappeared from her thoughts, not coming to her mind again until just now. And she felt as if she was falling all over again.

"You're the architect professor who accidentally taught Econ," she whispered softly, mentally kicking herself for not making the connection sooner. "You made that cheesy shellfish joke."

Ted let out an embarrassed laughed, his head in his hands. "Oh God, you were in that class? I'm gonna go outside and jump in front of a moving car now..."

Tracy laughed. "No, no, no, no, don't!" she said encouragingly, reaching her hand out for his and giving it a squeeze. "You were great. You were great."

He gazed at her some more, and Tracy couldn't help but stare back, feeling as if there was no one else in the room but them, his hand still in hers. It was quite the coincidence that Tracy was playing at his friends' wedding of all things; she would maybe attribute it as a sign. A sign of what, she wasn't sure. But her rational side reminded her that, although Manhattan is a huge island, everyone is connected somehow. So she took is as a happy coincidence and nothing more.

They both quickly realized that Robin and Lily were staring at them with delighted looks on their faces. Tracy cleared her throat, embarrassed, and let go of Ted's hand, safely putting her hands on her lap. Touching Ted right now seemed very dangerous.

Before Tracy could speak, perhaps make a quick joke about what had just transpired to cover up her and Ted's discomfort, they were interrupted.

"Oh my God!" said a male voice.

They all looked up, and two men were now standing by the booth. One was tall and had his hand on Lily's shoulder... and the other was the guy who had tried to hit on Tracy in a drugstore back in the fall, to whom Tracy gave some relationship advice on a bus bench.

"Oh my God!" Tracy echoed at the sight of him. "It's you!"

She stood up happily, walking around the booth and giving him a warm hug. He squeezed her middle tightly, and Tracy gave him a squeeze as well, happy to see his familiar face. She felt (or at least, she hoped) that she had helped him with his dilemma back in October and, that night, he had asked her if she saw a future with Lewis, prompting her for the first time to admit out loud: she really wasn't sure. She herself had to thank him for being the catalyst that made her look at her then-boyfriend in an different light, eventually breaking up with him. She had to thank him for helping her take that next step.

And he was Ted's friend, to boot?

They pulled apart and Tracy looked back at the rest of the group, who were now all staring at them perplexed and with their mouths agape.

"Um, you two know each other?" Lily asked, amused.

"If you've slept with her Barney, I swear to God..." Ted began.

Tracy and Barney both laughed. "No, no," she assured him, sitting back down. "Not that this one didn't try, though."

Robin then spoke up. "Um, babe: what's the story here?"

Barney chuckled and walked over to Robin, putting a tender hand on her shoulder. Tracy's heart warmed. "Is this her?" she asked him softly.

Barney smiled shyly, and looked down at Robin lovingly. "Yep," he said proudly. "I told you I'd win."

Tracy couldn't help but smile at the sight of them together. ___He got the girl_, Tracy thought happily. _And they're getting married!_

"Ok, the rest of us are _way_ out of the loop here!" Lily cried out, sounding exasperated. "How on earth do you two know each other?"

So Barney began, telling everyone the story of how Lily and Robin had challenged him one night last October to a series of pick-up challenges. Pick up a girl without using the letter 'e', pick up a girl while wearing a garbage bag, pick up a girl while talking like a dolphin...

"Oh, Barney," Tracy said disapprovingly, shaking her head.

He laughed sheepishly, and continued. He told them all about how he tried picking Tracy up at the drugstore, and how she rebuffed him and had called him on the fact that he was hooking up with random women to mask the fact that he had messed-up with Robin and missed her.

Tracy snuck a glance at Robin, who seemed to be hearing this story for the first time. She was looking up at Barney, seemingly not believing the words that were coming out of his mouth—the many coincidences of the evening were _pretty_ hard to believe—but she seemed visibly touched as he spoke.

Tracy then cast her eyes at Ted, who seemed to be listening raptly to Barney's tale, but his eyes were focused on Tracy.

Barney finished his story about how she had encouraged him to go and get the girl, to muster up all his energy and resources to make things right with her. "Tracy here, she set me straight," he said, a grateful tone in his voice as he looked over at her. "After that, I had one challenge and one challenge only: get Robin Scherbatsky to fall in love with me."

Robin stood up slowly and reached a hand for her fiancé's cheek, her eyes glistening as she looked into his. "Challenge completed," she whispered, pressing her body close to his and kissing him tenderly.

"Awwww!" Lily and Marshall cried in unison, had their hands to their hearts, tears in their eyes.

Even Ted seemed misty-eyed as he gazed at his two friends, a soft smile playing on his lips. "You did good, buddy," he told Barney as he pulled away from his fiancée.

Barney and Marshall pulled up a couple of chairs, and as Robin sat back down, she looked over at Tracy, a look of appreciation in her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly. "I really don't know what else to say. You made this happen."

Tracy looked down and gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "I just nudged him in the right direction," she said bashfully. "I don't deserve any credit here; Barney did all the work."

"No," Barney said seriously. "I am stupid and stubborn and could've easily let Robin slip away from my fingers. _You_ gave me the kick in the ass I needed. If I had never met you, I can honestly say that I would not be as happy as I am right now. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

Tracy was humbled. "You're welcome," she said sincerely.

"Babe," Robin said, taking Barney's hand and lacing her fingers with his. "Another cool coincidence: Tracy's band is the one playing our wedding."

Barney beamed. "Seriously? Well, I think this calls for a round of scotch!" he cried happily, flagging down Carl.

So they sat there for the next couple of hours, Tracy having a truly great time with Ted's friends. They were funny and warm, and she got to hear a few embarrassing stories about Ted, much to his mortification. He was a good sport about it, though, shrugging his shoulders and making a few self-effacing quips. As time went on, Tracy and Ted completely forgot about their rendez-vous back at his place. But, as Ted would say, Tracy had to admit: this was nice, too. _Really_ nice.

"Tracy, why don't you make an honest man out of my buddy Ted here and take him out on a real date?" Barney was now saying with a friendly laugh. "Too much sex is bad for him. A guy likes to be wined and dined on occasion."

Tracy looked down at her glass with a sad smile, casting a glance at Ted across from her; he also seemed pretty embarassed at his friend's comments.

"Oh, you know," he said, answering for her. "We're just friends. Right?" He gazed at her intently.

Tracy gulped. "Right," she agreed.

"I'm just saying," Barney continued. "I think all this is a sign that you two were meant to meet." His eyes then widened in realization. "Bro: I am your serendipitous wingman! Through the laws of universe, I _still_ helped you meet a girl! How cool is that?"

Ted blushed and looked over at Tracy. The look he gave her pretty much said, _Are you ok? _It was funny how she could read his facial expressions.

Tracy gave him a reassuring nod. But she was admittedly slightly overwhelmed, and a bit tired. She just wanted some alone time with Ted now.

She looked at her wrist—which didn't have a watch wrapped around it—and spoke up: "Oh, look at the time! Ted and I should get going."

The rest of the gang booed them good-naturedly as they stood up to leave. They said their goodbyes, Ted's friends looking forward to seeing her at the wedding in a few weeks, and exited the bar.

They made it up to the sidewalk, the cool night air a nice respite from the musty pub, smiling at each other as they began walking up the street at a slow pace, as if they had all the time in the world, while others just sprinted past them. They didn't speak, enjoying the quiet, one another's presence being more than enough. They had many blocks to go before arriving at Ted's apartment.

"Your friends are real nice," she eventually told him.

He chuckled. "They can when they want to be," he teased. "But they really like you. And I'm sorry if they were too pushy."

She offered him a smile. "It's ok. And I liked them, too," she admitted. "Seeing Barney again was a nice surprise."

"Today was full of surprises," he added, laughing. "Do you think there's anything else?"

At that moment, a clap of thunder startled them, and rain started pouring down hard.

"Shit!" said Ted, taking his bag and holding it protectively over Tracy's head. "Neither of us thought to bring an umbrella, huh?"

Tracy laughed and quickly dug into her large tote, pulling out her yellow umbrella. She popped it open and grabbed Ted's elbow, pulling him close to her, sheltering him from the storm.

They began walking, Ted looking around strangely at their yellow shelter, and spoke up: "Wait a second: this is my umbrella. I left this umbrella at Cindy's. You totally stole my umbrella!" His tone was accusatory, but playful.

Tracy looked at him as if he was crazy. "What? No, I didn't! This is _my_ umbrella; I bought this."

Ted shook his head and chuckled. "Excuse me, it even has my initials on it, right here," he said, pointing to the handle. "T.M. Ted Mosby."

_Ted Mosby_, Tracy thought with a smile. "Yeah, look again, Ted Mosby. Those are my initials. T.M. Tracy McConnell."

Ted was clearly enjoying himself based on the wide grin he was sporting. "Um, no Tracy McConnell. It's T.M. Totally My umbrella.

"Uh, _you're_ T.M. Terribly Mistaken!" she said, Ted laughing gleefully at that. "Because this umbrella has always belonged T.M. To Me." She paused and they both giggled softly before Tracy continued. "Although, I _did_ lose it for a few years there. So I went to this dance club—"

"On St. Patrick's Day," Ted interrupted her, a sober, mesmerized look on his face.

Tracy scoffed in disbelief, stopping in her tracks. _How did he know?_ "On St. Patrick's Day..." she confirmed softy.

Ted gulped. "And you left it there," he said, with certainty in his voice.

"And I left it there," Tracy repeated, as if in a trance, looking up into his eyes in amazement.

"And you never thought you'd see it again."

"And I never thought I'd see it again," she parroted, not quite believing that her lost umbrella was found by him years ago—that they were at a club together on the same night!—only for it to make its way back to her. She was already dumbfounded that the likes of Mitch, Cindy, and then Barney were links they had in common, plus the fact that she was playing her friends' wedding. But her umbrella, too? It was quite simply amazing that they were somehow bound together all these years, and they had only now found one another.

She gave him a smile. "Funny how sometimes you just... find things."

Ted just stared at her, as if looking at her for the first time. There was a long pause until he let out a laugh, and simply said, "Hi."

Tracy laughed back. "Hi," she said.

She continued to gaze at him, she too looking at him in a new light. He was no longer some guy who picked her up at a bar a month earlier. He was something more now, someone it seems she was destined to meet. It was a comforting notion.

This prompted Tracy to speak up: "How about you come over to my apartment?" Tracy suggested before she could stop herself.

She knew she was breaking the rules, bringing him into her private world, but she oddly didn't care. She saw a whole new side of Ted today, which has now changed the dynamic of their relationship. Tracy knew it; and she was sure Ted knew it, too.

Ted smiled. "I'd love to," he said, reaching for her hand.

Tracy gladly took his, and they continued to walk in the direction of her apartment, not bothering to flag for a cab. They wanted this extra time, as they shared more information about one another, happily revealing more about themselves little by little. She felt she didn't need to be so guarded anymore. She still kept Max as her little secret, however; it was too raw a topic for her to bring up.

They eventually made it back to her place, only slightly soaked. Ted looked around her apartment, admitting that he remembered everything about her. Her toy bus, the fact that she drew paintings of robots playing sports, that she liked to make her breakfast sing... He then mentioned something about her ankles.

"You really remembered all that?" she asked him softly, taking his bag from his shoulder and dropping it to the floor. She let her fingers unzip his jacket and pushed it off his shoulders.

"Yeah," he admitted, now unbuttoning her trench and helping her remove it, tossing it onto the sofa. "I wanted desperately to meet you, ask Cindy more about you... You sounded pretty incredible."

Tracy smiled shyly. It had been awhile since someone spoke about her that way. "I wanted to meet you, too," she revealed. "You admittedly caught my eye back then."

"I knew the shellfish joke was a winner," he said. Ted was making a joke, but the tone in his voice was soft and serious.

"Well, it was 70% funny," Tracy offered, smiling up at him. "The other 30%, kinda cheesy."

Ted shrugged his shoulders and took her hand as she led him towards the bedroom. "Still. 70% is pretty good," he said.

They disrobed one another slowly and crawled into bed, Ted commenting on her soft sheets as he pulled her close to him. Hands and lips were everywhere, and they took more time than they normally did before he slipped inside her. There was no urgency, and they had nowhere else to be.

Something felt different about the way they were moving together, as they gazed into each other's eyes and didn't look away. It felt dangerously close to making love. Tracy knew she had to stop this, but for the first time, she let herself fall, letting thoughts of Max disappear from her mind as it was now Ted who was consuming her. It was too confusing to think of Max right now, anyway.

It was a dangerous road she was on; Ted was leaving in three weeks, and she knew she shouldn't be enjoying this as much as she was. But she missed this feeling; sex hadn't felt like this—slow, sensual, and safe—in a _long_ time. So Tracy shut her eyes and moaned in pleasure, letting herself indulge in the moment, even though she knew she'd be in for a rude awakening the next morning.

She'd just worry about that tomorrow.

_To be continued..._


	5. Farhampton

_Well, we've made it to the end! Sorry for the long wait, but thanks to everyone for following, reading, and commenting. It's been a fun ride, writing an alternate tale about Ted and Tracy. Although their canon meet-cute was pretty great in itself. Minus the trainwreck (grrr) that came after, of course..._

_And just to let you guys know how this compares to the wedding weekend featured on the show: Marshall did not miss his flight home from Minnesota; Marshall doesn't get offered a judgeship; Marshall and Lily don't get into a huge fight (although I may give a hint or two that Lily is indeed pregnant); Barney doesn't go missing the day before the wedding; ergo, Ted and Robin don't go looking for him; there is no locket ridiculousness, and Robin doesn't want to run off with Ted (B/R will just have a normal level of pre-wedding jitters). Everything is simply happy and perfect in this world._

* * *

_Friday, May 23 8:30 a.m._

* * *

"You _sure_ you're not in love with her?" asked Lily.

"Lilyyyy," Ted warned as he drove them to Tracy's apartment building. "I've told you to let it go."

"I will _not_ let it go!" she said. "You are totally in love with this girl, and you're about to spend three days with her at a romantic inn. Sharing a _bedroom_, might I add!"

Ted sighed as he maneuvered the car around a corner. They were on their way to pick up Tracy before heading down to Farhampton for Barney and Robin's wedding. Tracy was hesitant when Ted suggested they share a room together, telling him she'd just stay at a nearby hotel with her bandmates instead, but he was insistent. He wanted to spend as much time as possible with her, after all, and he figured sharing a room would just be easier.

And, selfishly, he wanted the close proximity to Tracy while he worked out his feelings. What he couldn't really admit to Lily was that he _was_, in fact, in love with Tracy. He fought it for a long time, tried to ignore their chemistry and their compatibility, but he truly realized it a few weeks earlier after he and she hung out with his friends. It was a strange and wonderful evening, where one sign after another proved to Ted that he was destined to meet this girl.

Sadly, his newfound feelings didn't mean he could have his happily-ever-after, just like that. He had Tracy to consider. After all, Ted had no clue how she felt about him; he didn't want to put that pressure on her. Maybe she was simply content with their present arrangement: instant gratification, no commitment.

Yet there was one part of him that thought that maybe, _just maybe_, she felt the same way as he. That night in the rain, as they realized her umbrella had gone from her hands to his and back to hers again, there was _something_ there; he felt it. Afterwards, when she surprisingly invited him over to her apartment, opening up her private world to him a little more, he took it as a sign. And later in bed, as she slowly rocked on top of him, her forehead pressed to his, their eyes locked as she panted softly, her warm breath on his lips, Ted felt as if they had reached a whole new level of intimacy.

He wanted to find out this weekend how she felt about him. Maybe gauge her words and her actions, look for subtle clues in the way she touched and looked at him, to see if perhaps she felt the same about him, too. One part of him knew that he should just man up and ask her, but he didn't want to screw anything up and ruin their lovely weekend together. He was going to tread _very_ lightly these next three days.

There was no room for error: either he'd get 100% validation about her feelings, or he'll be saying goodbye to Tracy and New York come Tuesday. And the latter option felt like a punch to the gut.

He drove up to Tracy's building, and spotted her standing on the sidewalk, holding up her guitar case and casually leaning against it, her tote and weekender bags at her feet. Ted couldn't help but smile at the sight of her, wearing a purple print dress, brown boots, and a trench coat draped over one of her arms. Damn it, she was beautiful.

"Lose the smile, Mosby," Lily said with a knowing smirk as Ted pulled up to the curb.

"Shut it, Aldrin," he said under his breath, but tried to force a frown (or at least something neutral) onto his lips.

But, secretly, Ted's heart fluttered as he saw Tracy's face light up at the sight of him. He put the car in park and eagerly jumped out, jogging over to her.

"Hey," he said, playing it cool, trying to hide his breathlessness.

"Hi," she said with a wide smile as he took her stuff and started to put them in the trunk.

Lily climbed out of the passenger seat and walked over to Tracy. She offered her a friendly hug.

"Long time no see, Tracy," she told her happily.

"It's great to see you again, Lily," she said sincerely, reciprocating the hug. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yep!" Ted said as he shut the trunk. "Let's stop by and get some coffee and breakfast sandwiches for the road first."

They all walked over to the car, and Lily opened the door to the backseat.

"Lily, where are you going?" Ted asked.

"Oh, I thought Tracy could sit in the front with you," she said nonchalantly. Ted could practically see the wheels turning in her head. He nervously looked over at Tracy, giving her a sheepish smile.

"I could sit in the back, it's not a problem," Tracy offered.

"No, it's ok!" Lily insisted. "I'm feeling a bit nauseated, so I may just stretch out in the back and shut my eyes. Go, go: shotgun's yours!"

So they all climbed into the car and buckled up, Ted sticking the key in the ignition and starting the car.

"Hey, nice gloves," Tracy told him as he drove off.

As Lily snickered in the back, Ted gave an embarrassed chuckle. "I know, I know: they're lame."

"What? Not at all!" she insisted. "I have my own pair. Did you know that 70% of vehicular accidents could be prevented if people just wore driving gloves?"

Ted beamed, nodding his head enthusiastically in agreement. _Finally, someone gets it!_ "Right? _Right?!_" he cried. "If more people just wore them, our roads would be a whole lot safer!"

From behind him, Ted could heard Lily hum Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" under her breath. He glanced up and glared at her from the rear-view mirror.

* * *

_3:30 p.m._

* * *

They arrived to the inn late in the afternoon, after a quick detour to check out Dr. Florian van Otterloop's childhood home, much to Lily's chagrin. (It was two against one, after all.) They greeted Barney and Robin in the lobby, with Lily quickly disappearing to her room where Marshall and Marvin were already waiting for her, home after their week in Minnesota.

As Robin and Barney continued to greet their family and friends, all Ted and Tracy could do was check into their room. He helped her with her bags as they found their way to their room. It was a charming space, with a large and cozy-looking bed, a flat screen TV, a desk area and a gorgeous bathroom.

If only they weren't there for a wedding; otherwise, Ted would've gladly spent the next 72 hours just cooped up in this room with Tracy.

"This is nice," said Ted, dropping their bags at his feet.

"It is," Tracy acknowledged, gently setting down her guitar case before sitting down on the edge of the bed, bouncing up and down on it. "Comfy."

Ted grinned. "I meant the _entire_ room, not just the bed," he clarified as he sat down next to her. "I hope we manage to get some use out of it this weekend; we're both going to be pretty busy."

She bumped her shoulder with his. "It's our last weekend together," she pointed out, a tinge of wistfulness in her voice. "I say we'll make the effort."

Ted smiled sadly. He truly hoped, if things went his way this weekend, that it wouldn't be their last.

"Well, we can start now," he teased, leaning forward to kiss her shoulder, an arm reaching behind her dress for the zipper.

She giggled. "Don't you have any best man duties to perform right now?" she asked airily as she let Ted lay her down onto the bed. "People to greet, a speech to prep, a nervous groom to console?"

"None so pressing that it can't wait for the party tonight," he murmured, pulling the dress down from her shoulders, exposing Tracy's upper body. "By the way, you're coming to that, right?"

She looked up at him, reaching for the buttons of his shirt. "I'm the hired help. Am I allowed to be there?"

"You're technically my date," Ted pointed out, a gentle hand stroking her bare stomach. "Besides, Barney and Robin want you there. You're practically the guest of honor in their eyes."

She smiled up at him, touched. "I'd love to," she said, pushing his shirt off his shoulders and pulling him down on top of her, pressing her soft lips to his, her fingers gripping at his biceps. They kissed desperately, Ted reveling in her touch, and his heart just yearning to be able to stay in this moment for as long as possible.

* * *

_8 p.m._

* * *

Later, they made their way down to the parlor for the party, Ted always happy to spend some time with Tracy outside the bedroom. She had such a warm and friendly personality, and was fun to be around. She knew how to work a room, he quickly noticed, gravitating towards people, and able to hit it off with just about anyone. And it made Ted fall in love with her even more.

There was a bit of awkwardness when it came to introducing Tracy to people. He couldn't exactly say, "This is my girlfriend, Tracy," to avoid any uneasiness. So he introduced her as just "Tracy", with his partner-in-crime good at steering the conversation away to another topic before anyone could ask "How'd you two meet?" or "How long have you been together?"

But, secretly, Ted wished he could simply say, "This is my girlfriend, Tracy."

As the night wore on, they had a lot of fun. Aside from the fact that Barney and Robin's minister suddenly died—which put a slight damper on the party and put the bride and groom in crisis management mode—they had a great night. They danced together, the gang was happy to see Tracy again, and the drinks just kept on flowing throughout the night.

His friends continuously pulled him away, reminding him of how great Tracy was, and that he should just go for it.

"You deserve to be happy, buddy," Marshall told him sincerely as they walked over to the bar to get the next round of drinks. "Tracy's just awesome and I really haven't seen you this content and carefree in _months_."

"Seriously, bro," Barney added, jumping in on the conversation. "Before you met her, you were such a buzzkill. You're different now, happier; embrace it. Do what Tracy told me to do with regards to Robin, and go get the damn girl already! Spoiler alert: it's fucking worth it." He then grabbed his drinks, wandered off and went back to his fiancée, lovingly handing her a glass of scotch.

Ted smiled at the sight, and then looked over to where Tracy and Lily were having an animated conversation. "It _could_ be worth it," Ted admitted to Marshall. "But it could also very well blow up in my face."

"C'mon, man: you're Ted Mosby! You're the ultimate risk-taker when it comes to love!" Marshall reminded him. "Besides, it'd be great to come back to New York in a year to see you in a happy and committed relationship with Tracy. I mean, did I _mention_ how awesome she is?"

"She _is_ pretty damn awesome," Ted murmured in agreement, as Tracy looked up from her conversation with Lily and locked eyes with Ted. She smiled at him and gave him a light wave, which solicited a wide grin from Ted's lips. _But what does she think of me?_ he thought to himself.

He continued to ponder this throughout the night, and even later, as they drunkenly stumbled into their room after midnight, her lips on his, her hands fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. He continued to question his ultimate decision, a push-and-pull in his brain, as Tracy sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling him roughly towards her to stand between her parted legs. His head was in a daze as they disrobed, as Ted gently pushed Tracy down into the bed, hovering over her as she brought her knees to her chest.

And as he parted her legs and pushed into her, his movements going from languid to frantic, he listened to her moans, watching as she ran a hand through her hair, the other gliding down to where their bodies met. And as he heard her murmur "I'm going to miss you", Ted had to wonder whether she merely said it in the throws of passion, or if there was something more to her words.

* * *

_Sunday May 25, 2 a.m._

* * *

Ted unlocked the door to their room, trying to be as quiet as possible so as to not wake up Tracy. It was late after all—or perhaps way too early—and he was exhausted, if not slightly tipsy. He just wanted to crawl into bed, curl up against Tracy, and go to sleep.

He hadn't had a chance to see her all day. They both woke up on Saturday morning lightheaded and tired from the previous evening, and perhaps slightly embarrassed. Ted, having been left more confused than ever as to what he had to do about Chicago; and Tracy, she seemed to want to ignore the fact that during sex, she revealed that she was going to miss him. Ted thought that maybe he had imagined it in his drunken state, but it was a moment that was so vivid and one that struck at his heart, he knew it had happened. But he was too shy to bring it up again, to ask her what she meant by it.

So they had puttered around the room, getting ready for their respective days. Ted had his best man duties to tend to, following it up with the rehearsal dinner in the evening. For her part, Tracy was going to head into town and explore, before she and the band hit a nearby studio to rehearse some more before the wedding.

So they said goodbye and spent the day apart, Ted occasionally receiving texts from Tracy that included fun photos of her and the spots she was visiting. This made Ted smile.

For his part, during a celebratory drink with the gang, Ted managed to punch some guy in the face after he broke his (_very_ expensive) bottle of Glen McKenna 30. Ted quickly realized that he was a member of Tracy's band, as he angrily stormed off shouting, "I quit! Good luck having that bass player take over vocals during the 10-minute ode to Guns 'n Roses! Later skaters!"

Tempted to smash that guy's face in again at his words, Ted instead reached for his phone. _You're going to hate me, but I think I just punched one of your bandmates, and he quit the band._

_Darren quit?!_ he quickly received a few moments later. _I am soooo going to thank you for that tonight! ;)_

Ted grinned at that and put his phone away, the post-rehearsal dinner celebration continuing well into the night. He and the gang went a little overboard with the drinking in the parlor, with Barney in particular getting pretty tanked. He and Marshall safely got him to his room (Lily would be spending the night with Robin), and Ted stumbled over to his room.

He crept in softly, but immediately noticed that the bedroom lights were still on. "Tracy?" he called out. Nothing. He peered into the bathroom. Empty.

He spotted her open guitar case on the bed, her bass still housed inside. But where was Tracy? He was pretty worried; it was rather late, after all. _She couldn't have gotten far_, he thought.

He walked over to the glass door that led onto the balcony, and gently slid it open. Sure enough, there was Tracy, sitting on a wicker chair and holding a ukelele in her hands, looking out into the night. She was still and quiet, the only audible sounds were of the blowing wind and the nearby crashing waves. It seemed like a serene moment, if it weren't for the somber look on her face.

Her back was to him, so she couldn't see him. But he could see her. From the light of the moon, he noticed her tear-stained cheeks, the sad look in her eyes. He had an urge to walk over to her, take her in his arms and comfort her, but he had a weird feeling that he was interrupting a private moment.

So he just stood there and watched her as she tuned the ukelele, and softly began plucking at the strings. A few seconds later, she began to sing, her soft voice belting out a hauntingly beautiful rendition of "La Vie En Rose" which made Ted's heart catch in his throat, particularly with regards to the pain and longing that was evident in her voice.

He just stood there, mesmerized, wondering what was going on in her head and her heart. When she was done, Tracy gently placed the ukelele onto her lap, and leaned forward against the balcony railing. She folded her arms in front of her and rested her chin against them, looking out towards the beach. She shut her eyes and let the wind blow through her hair and caress her face.

Wanting to give Tracy her privacy, Ted quietly slid the door shut and walked back into the center of the room. He simply stood there, pondering over the moment he had just witnessed. Tracy was hurting, that was clear enough; but why? Was there something going on that he should ask about? Did it have anything to do with him? _Quit making everything about you, Mosby!_ he chided himself.

But, really, all he wanted to do was help and make sure that she was ok. If only he could just find the right words to bring a smile to her lips. If only his arms had magic powers that would just lift her spirits up at his mere touch. If only he could carry the weight of her burdens onto his own shoulders, for her to never experience such sadness as she was now. He loved her and wanted to comfort her and make her happy. He wished that his love could do all this for her.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the balcony door open. He looked up and saw Tracy entering the room. She was slightly startled to see him.

"Oh, hey," she said, lifting a hand to quickly wipe a few stray tears fom her cheeks. "You're back."

"Yeah," he said softly, trying—but failing—to sound nonchalant. "You ok?"

Tracy just nodded and sat down onto the bed, nestling the ukulele next to her bass and shutting the case.

"You sure?" he asked again. Ted didn't want to press, but he wanted to make sure there wasn't anything serious that was troubling her, and if he could help in any way.

She finally offered him a sleepy smile. "Just tired," she told him, standing back up and peeling off her dress, probably trying to distract him but likely trying to change the subject. "Did you guys have fun?"

"We did," he said as he started unbuttoning his shirt. "Some more than others."

Tracy giggled. "Uh-oh. Who will be nursing a hangover tomorrow morning?"

"The groom," he said, laughing himself. "And I guess, as best man, it's my job to pump him with Advil and a greasy breakfast, and make sure he gets to the church on time."

"You've got a big day ahead of you, then. Let's get you to bed." Her voice was tender, one that promised to comfort him, to help him unload from the day's events. But _he_ wanted to be the one to comfort _her_.

They continued to undress and, wearing nothing but their underwear, crawled into bed, Ted turning off the light from the nightstand. The both of them tired and not really in the mood for sex, they settled in for a deep sleep, Ted merely content with being with her.

Tracy turned her back to Ted, however, staying on her side of the bed, which Ted momentarily took as a bad sign. But he then heard Tracy whisper in the dark: "Can you please come closer?"

The tone in her voice—small and helpless—broke his heart. He scooted his body towards hers, wrapping a protective arm around her and pulling her closer to him. He kissed the back of her head and pressed his body against hers, Tracy tangling her legs with his. They were crossing a line here, he knew; but who said he couldn't console here like this? As Tracy told him once, they could just come up with their own rules when it came to their arrangement.

"You sure you're comfortable?" he murmured in her ear, feeling Tracy's hands clutch at his, which was loosely pressed against her stomach. He figured she'd be unable to fall asleep with them wrapped around one another like this.

"This is perfect," she assured him.

"Ok, then," he said, happy such a small gesture could make her feel a little bit better. But as he rested his chin onto her shoulder, his cheek to hers, Tracy began to sob lightly, her body shaking. Ted didn't say a word, just continued to hold her close in the dark, staying awake until well after she had cried herself to sleep.

* * *

_7:30 a.m._

* * *

The next morning, Ted woke up to the sound of the alarm. He groaned, his arms around Tracy, pulling her closer to him. They were still in the same position they fell asleep in, and Tracy murmured disapprovingly as Ted disengaged from her, reaching over to shut off the alarm.

"Sorry," he said, moving back to his original position. "Good morning."

Tracy rolled over to face him, smiling up at him sleepily. "Morning," she mumbled, cuddling up closer to him. "You have an early start?"

"Yup," he said, allowing himself a few extra moments in bed with her before he jumped in the shower. "You?"

"Got nowhere to be until tonight," she admitted. "Just booked myself a massage and a hair appointment this afternoon."

Ted was happy that she made an effort to pamper herself; after the state she was in the previous evening, a massage was likely to help. He was still unsure what was on her mind last night, and it still stayed with him.

"By the way, are you ok?" he asked, brushing her hair back with his fingers. "After last night, I mean."

Tracy blushed and smiled sadly. "Yeah, I'm ok," she assured him. "Things are looking better this morning."

"You sure?" he pressed. "Because if you want to talk..."

"Oh, you don't want to hear about my problems," she said dismissively. "Besides, you have other stuff on your plate right now. Big day, remember?"

"Hey," he said seriously, taking one of her hands in his. "I will _always_ make time for you, to listen to your problems; listen to anything you have to say, in fact. You can talk to me."

Tracy was pensive for a moment, letting his words sink in. "Thank you," she told him. "But I don't want to put a damper on such a lovely day. I _am_ feeling better this morning, though. Promise."

He gazed at her for a bit, looking into her eyes, noticing a lightness to her. She _did_ seem happier, he had to admit; maybe she was simply having an off night.

"Ok," he conceded, not happy to leave this hanging, but wanting to respect Tracy's wishes. "I should get ready."

He reluctantly crawled out of bed, glancing at Tracy's half-naked form longingly as she lounged across the bed, and began to get ready. She felt her watch him as he wandered back and forth across the room, muttering to himself as he looked for everything from his clean socks to his pomade. He hung up his tuxedo and disappeared into the bathroom, letting the warm shower clean his body and clear his head.

"You _will_ talk to her tonight," he told himself. "You _will_ tell her how you feel." After the previous night, he knew he wanted to be there with her for the good times and the bad. He wanted to wake up to her every morning like he did today, he decided. He knew he wouldn't be able to find such bliss in Chicago, so he was going to take that leap. The worst she could do was say "no" and shatter his heart.

_God, please don't let her say no_, he thought as a heaviness settled in the pit of his stomach.

He exited the bathroom, unable to keep himself from laughing as Tracy made a few catcalls from the bed at his naked body, another reminder at what happiness could be like for them.

He got dressed and fixed his hair, Tracy making snoring sounds as he spent a good 15 minutes in front of the mirror to get his hair "just right". Finally, he turned around to look at her, standing sheepishly before her. "So, how do I look?" he asked her hopefully. "Like a best man?"

She smiled softly. "The best," she whispered. "But your tie's a bit askew. C'mere."

So he walked over to the bed as Tracy got up on her knees, now face to face with him. She undid his bow tie, and deftly proceeded to redo it.

"You've done this before," he noted, as she expertly handled the material, looping one end of the tie through the center hole.

"My college boyfriend used to work at a supper club on weekends," she explained. "He could never manage to figure a bow tie out, so I used to do it for him. It's been a few years, but I think I've got it." She pulled the two ends together, tightening the knot, and looked at her handiwork, satisfied. "Done. Now only your grin is lopsided."

He laughed lightly. "Thank you," he said as he stood before her, Tracy's hands now on his shoulders, her mouth just an inch from his.

"You're welcome," she uttered as she looked him in the eyes. And before he knew it, she slowly leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. It was a soft kiss, and she seemed to approach him tentatively, as if this kiss was an experiment. One hand reached for his newly-shaven cheek, and she gave him a few slow pecks before Ted moved his hands to her waist, pulling her close and reciprocating the kiss gently, her lower lip locked between his.

It was different kind of embrace, the one Ted did his best from refraining, given that it's a way too intimate type of kiss. The kind of kiss that comes with yearning, desire and a whole lot of emotions; it wasn't kissing for kissing's sake. There was clearly something more behind it.

Tracy gently pulled away, all too quickly, and they both opened their eyes, panting softly as they gazed at each other.

"What was that for?" he asked in a daze, his hands still on her waist, his thumbs stroking her sides.

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she admitted. "I just wanted to."

He smiled back. "We've been down this road before, you know," he reminded her teasingly, bringing up that not-so-innocent kiss from three weeks earlier that they had both implicitly agreed to not bring up ever again.

"I know," she said simply, as if she didn't care of any ramifications.

Ted nodded. He clearly understood now. Or, at least, he hoped he got her message loud and clear. "Hey, can we talk tonight, after the wedding?"

She grinned. "Talk? Or _talk_?" she asked, pressing herself up against him.

Ted laughed. "Both," he told he, his tone then turning serious. "There are some things that need to be said."

"Yeah," she agreed, swallowing hard. "There are."

She pulled away from him, and he from her, Tracy lowering herself back onto the bed. Ted reached for his phone, slipping it into his pocket, and looked at her. "So, I'll see you tonight?"

She smiled up at him. "I'll see you tonight," she confirmed.

With a nod and one final gaze, Ted forced himself to walk out of the room and shut the door behind him.

* * *

_6 p.m._

* * *

That evening, the wedding went off without a hitch; it was beautiful and fun, and perhaps slightly inappropriate at times. (Barney had a couple of NC-17 anecdotes included in his vows.) There was a bit of cold feet on both Barney and Robin's parts prior to the ceremony, but Ted was happy to perform his best man duties and proud that he was able to ease both their nerves.

"Love is the best thing we do," he had told each of them separately, after they wondered aloud if marriage and a lifetime of commitment was for them. Ted was unsure of where those words had come from, except a deep place in his heart. He just felt it because, really, people could excel at their job or at a hobby, but it is the giving and accepting of love that truly takes the most strength and courage. And when you're able to do that, a world of opportunity suddenly opens up to you.

He later turned that phrase into a last minute addition to his wedding speech, speaking openly to the entire room, but mostly to his two best friends as they took that next step together, one that Ted was envious of, but extremely happy for them. "Love is the best thing we do," he said, raising his champagne glass. "And Barney and Robin, that love brings out to best in both of them. They may struggle at times, and are still learning as they go, but allowing yourself to love and be loved, that's the first step to a lifetime of happiness. Cheers, my friends."

As the reception burst in applause, Ted took a sip of his champagne and quickly turned his back to walk down the stage. He stopped to look at Tracy as she stood behind him, where she and her band had taken a brief pause to let him make his toast, looking beautiful in a form-fitting purple dress and curls in her hair, but also looking pretty badass with her bass guitar loosely hanging from her shoulder.

He offered her a small smile, and she smiled back encouragingly, wordlessly telling him that he did a great job. He hoped that she was truly listening to his speech, that it had perhaps resonated with her a bit. Because, really, he was kind of speaking to her, as well.

The party continued, with good food, good music, and good drinks in abundance. Ted spent most of the night just watching Tracy sing, evidently happy to no longer be relegated to back-up vocals. She had a beautiful stage presence—confident but not at all cocky—and Ted was in love with her voice, whether she was softly belting out "November Rain" during Barney and Robin's first dance, or singing a slowed-down version of "Cheeseburger in Paradise" during Robin's dance with her dad. (An odd choice, but one that Tracy and her band pulled off flawlessly.)

Come midnight, the band was done for the night, letting an iTunes playlist entertain guests for the remainder of the party. Tracy climbed down from the stage, bidding her bandmates goodnight, and walked over to Ted and his friends, where he beamed at her.

"You were amazing," Ted told her in awe, the others echoing his sentiments.

"Thank you," she said appreciatively but tiredly. After five hours of singing on and off, he didn't blame her for being exhausted.

"Need a drink?" he asked knowingly.

She laughed. "Do you even have to ask?"

So they drank and danced, the party wearing down at around 2 o'clock. By the end, only the six of them (and a sleeping Marvin) were left, aside from a bunch of hotel employees who had already begun cleaning up.

Marshall and Lily were ready to hit the hay, and Barney and Robin—given at how handsy they were presently being—were clearly wide awake and ready for their wedding night. As for Ted and Tracy, they needed some alone time, too.

So they all bid one another goodnight, promising to meet for brunch the next day for "Lily's Christmas". Ted and Tracy made their way over to their room, the both of them more-or-less sober. Ted wanted to make sure he was lucid enough to be able to tell Tracy how he felt.

Once in their room, Ted turned on the bedside lamp and began pulling at his tie. Tracy went over to her travel bag and pulled out something, bunching it up in her hands.

"Take your clothes off," she ordered him, Ted's eyes widening at her assertiveness. "I'll be out in a few minutes." And she disappeared into the bathroom.

The moment the door shut behind her, Ted quickly began peeling off his clothes, tossing various parts of his suit in every direction of the room. He sat on the bed in nothing but his underpants, trying to find a position that gave off a virile yet casual come-and-get-it vibe. As he tugged his boxer-briefs low on his hips, revealing that glimpse of pelvic hair he knew Tracy had a weakness for, the bathroom door popped open.

He looked up to see Tracy, who was now standing by the door in a sheer red nightie. It had a flyaway front that revealed a sliver of her taut stomach, the attached bra cupping her breasts, showcasing an ample amount of cleavage. And Ted couldn't help but notice the matching sheer g-string. She looked soft and sexy and inviting.

"So, what's the occasion?" Ted asked casually, trying to ignore the tightness in his groin as he focused on her.

"I figured since this was our last night together," she explained, slowly walking towards him. "I thought I'd wear something special."

"_Believe_ _me_, being with you is already special enough," Ted assured her, scooting over on the bed to make room for her. "No lingerie necessary. But you look stunning."

"Thank you," she said, climbing onto the bed next to him. They stretched themselves out and faced each other, Ted's fingers instinctively reaching for her stomach, parting the flaps of her nightie and gliding his hands onto her skin.

Tracy let his hands wander as she shut her eyes and rested her chin on his shoulder, lazily running her fingers up and down his back, which made Ted shiver with delight. They continued to stroke one another, Ted intensely, but Tracy more unhurriedly, which he figured out when he tried to move things along and Tracy just murmured, practically pleading, "Not yet. Just a little more time."

And Ted realized: for him, he knew (or at least, hoped) that tonight was their first of many nights together. In Tracy's eyes, at this moment, this could quite possibly be their last.

So he let her continue, minutes feeling like seconds as her hands ran up his back, and then back down towards his ass, her fingers dipping inside his underwear to caress his backside, pulling her hands back out again to rest them on his hips.

He gently rolled her over onto her back, the rise and fall of her chest, distracting; the lust in her eyes, overpowering. His fingers—_Shit, are they trembling?_ he realizes—reaching for the magnetic front closure of the bra and unclasp it, which makes her entire outfit come apart, separating to reveal her breasts, soft and hard all at once.

His lips quickly gravitated towards her chest, which prompts Tracy to moan audibly. Her hands reach behind to grip the headboard railings, whereas her thighs glide up his legs to wrap around his hips tightly, pressing herself up against him. They proceed to grind up against one another madly, wildly, hastily, the friction they created feeling unbelievable.

At the same time, they each seemed to have the same idea, a hand wandering between them, the both of them laughing lightly as their knuckles graze. Tracy let Ted go first, and his fingers brushed her underwear aside to feel her, wet and warm. She pressed herself into his touch and kissed him roughly, murmuring something incoherent against his lips. For her part, Tracy reached for his underwear, pulling away enough to be able to cup and stroke him above the cotton.

Ted loves her fingers, small and delicate, but strong and agile, likely from the years of playing the bass and the piano, among other instruments. And when she reached in and pulled him out, guiding him inside her quickly and they both gasped out in pleasure, he couldn't help but feel that they were, as cheesy as it sounded in his head, making their own sweet music together. He whimpered as she sighed, then laughed when she laughed, and their bodies continued to move together in unison like an orchestra following the same tempo, staying in sync until the very end; that final, show-stopping, rousing end.

And as Tracy's body started to convulse, letting out one shaky spasm after another, Ted's also began to shudder, his legs quivering as he forced himself to continue driving into her, looking at her large brown eyes one final time before pressing his forehead to her shoulder. Her arms immediately wrapped around him, comforting the both of them, hanging onto his torso like a lifeline, as if letting go would suddenly make him disappear.

"I'm not going anywhere," he murmured assuringly against her skin. Of course, she thought he meant in that moment. But his intentions were for the long run. _I am not going anywhere._

Afterwards, she settled against him, one hand stroking one side of his neck, while her lips nibbled on the other, her leg rubbing up and down one of his thighs. It was post-coital bliss, the perfect moment with the perfect woman. And it was during this perfection that Ted was now ready to put his heart on the line. "Go get the damn girl already!" Barney's words from Friday evening encouraging him in his head. "It's fucking worth it."

Ted took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing..._

"Hey, Tracy?"

She looked up at him. "Yeah, Ted?"

He hesitated before he spoke, knowing very well that Tracy's answer could go one of two directions. And he was hoping that it was in the same direction he intended to go. "What if I decided not to move to Chicago?" he asked softly.

She pulled away from his body and sat up in bed, looking him in the eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what if I decided I wanted to stay in New York?" He paused. "With you."

Her eyes widened. There was a hopeful look to them, but also one of fear. "Ted..."

"Let me finish," he said quickly, sitting up as well, wanting to get what he had to say off his chest before she gave him her answer. "These past two months have been amazing, and it took me awhile to realize that I don't need to go to Chicago. Everything I've ever wanted has been right in front of me this whole time. I tried to ignore it, but some part of me feels that it's destiny that had as meet at the bar that night. I've fallen for you, Tracy; and I really hope you feel the same way. About me."

"Ted," she said again, cautious. "Do you know what you're saying here?"

"I do," he assured her, taking her hands in his. "Trace, I love you. And some part of me thinks that you do, too. I've felt it, in the way you kiss me, the way you touch me. But I need to hear it. If you love me, those would just be the most amazing words I'll ever hear. But if you don't..." Ted couldn't even finish his sentence.

Tracy's lips quivered and Ted noted the tears welling up in her eyes. "I've fallen for you too, Ted, I have—"

He smiled nervously. "What you said has just made me the happiest man in the world, but I feel there's a 'but' coming on..."

"But it's more complicated than that," she finished.

"What's so complicated?" he asked desperately, moving his hands to her hips, pulling her closer to him. "If we feel the same way about each other, there's nothing else to be said. Right?"

"I'm just confused right now," she told him, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "Listen, Ted: I was in love once, a long time ago. Max. Max was his name. We were together for five years. And he died on my 21st birthday."

Ted reacted immediately at her words, his chest tightening. He was ready to pull Tracy close to him, hug her, comfort her. That bit of news was just one of the most heartbreaking things he'd ever heard. And killed him that Tracy had lived through that.

But Tracy put a gently but firm hand on his chest, keeping him at a distance while she finished her story.

"It was the worst time in my life. It took me a _long_ time to get myself off the couch and do stuff, let alone allow myself to be able to try and fall in love again," she admitted, lowering her head. "Seven years, Ted. _Seven_ whole years until I was able to say "yes" to a date, to let someone into my life again. But I did... and it didn't work out. Max was always on my mind, and I was _so_ certain that he was the only one for me, that I could never love someone as much as I loved him. Which is why I started this whole casual sex experiment—sexual gratification, zero emotions."

"Is that the problem, then?" he asked her gently, his hands now on either cheek, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "You think you can't love again after Max?"

She let out a sob. "That's the thing!" she cried desperately. "I was so sure I couldn't, that Max was it for me. And then there you were. You came along and I fought it _so_ hard, but it was just so... easy... to fall in love with you!"

Ted's heart softened at that, the words he'd been waiting to hear just falling out from her lips like that. "You love me," he stated matter-of-factly

She let out a shaky sigh. "I'm just... struggling to figure out what this all means."

He immediately pulled her into his arms, pressing her chest to his, his arms wrapped around her body. "I can't have the answers for you, Tracy," he told her, murmuring into her ear. "I know you must miss him terribly, and some part of you still loves him deeply. But wherever he is, I'm sure the last thing he'd want for you is to feel this way. I didn't know the guy, so I clearly can't pretend to assume what he'd say; but I bet he loved you a whole lot. I mean, how could he not?"

He felt Tracy sniffle and smile against his neck as he continued. "And when you love someone, you just want them to be happy. I know it takes a lot of courage to love again, Tracy, but I think if you let yourself, the end result could be wonderful."

"Because love is the best thing we do," she whispered, her lips still pressed to his skin.

"It really is," he said. He pulled his neck away from her, gently pushing her body away so that he could look at her now. "And if you let me, I think I could be a great boyfriend to you. But I just need to know: do you love me, Tracy?"

He knew he was begging now. But he was desperate; desperate for her to love him, and desperate to be able to be her comforter, her protector, her sounding board, her everything. And he wanted her to be all that for him, too.

She shook her head, finally allowing herself to admit it. "I do," she breathed out. "God help me, I tried to ignore it, but I love you, Ted."

Ted finally let out a sigh of relief, and let himself laugh joyfully at her admission. "You love me!" he cried happily, looking at Tracy who was now laughing and crying along with him. He immediately leaned forward to press his lips to hers, pushing her down onto the bed as he laughed and smiled and peppered her face with lights pecks.

As he held himself up above her, looking down at her flushed cheeks, she offered him a sad smile. "But, how are you sure you're not turning away from something amazing in Chicago?" she asked him, reaching up a hand up to cup his cheek lovingly. "What if you regret not taking this leap?"

Ted shook his head, amused. How could she think that he'd ever have second thoughts about _this_? "The _only_ regret I would've had was leaving New York without telling you how I really felt," he told her.

Tears started to pool in her eyes again, this time tears of joy, and even Ted couldn't keep his emotions inside anymore. He draped his body over hers now, just allowing himself to enjoy this closeness, and the assurance that he was loved and that he and Tracy quite possibly had a future together. Finally, they could have their tomorrow, and many more tomorrows after that.

He pressed his forehead to hers, watching a few of his tears falling onto Tracy's lashes. "So you're not moving to Chicago, then?" she asked with a smile, even though she very well knew the answer.

He shook his head. "Nope," he said with a wide grin, bursting with a happiness he hadn't felt in the longest time. "You can't get rid of me that easy."

"I don't intend to," she promised, giving him a tender peck to his lips, his nose, his eyes, his forehead, and then back to his lips again.

They continued to kiss lazily, exploring one another's mouths as if it were their first ever embrace. They just made out for a long time, no pressure, and not needing anything more other than each other.

"Ok," he said finally, reluctantly pulling himself away from her lips. "Put your clothes back on."

Tracy looked at him as if he were crazy. "What? I'm not getting dressed." She put her hands on his cheeks and leaned forward to kiss him again.

He groaned as she dipped her tongue in his mouth, but he pulled back and shook his head. "We are going to start from the beginning," he explained. "We're going to start having sex again _after_ we've gone on an appropriate number of dates."

She laughed and pressed a hand to his chest. "Ted, I am not _not_ having sex with you!" she told him sternly. "This has been happening for two months now; you can't just leave me hanging like that."

Ted smiled at her. "Fine," he said softly, not able to resist her. "_But_, I want to take you out on a proper first date. Show up at your door, bring you flowers, take you out to dinner, walk you home... And you kiss me goodnight and leave me wanting more."

Tracy arched her eyebrow. "I can't invite you in?"

"I promise, you can have your way with me on date #2," he said. "But for our first real date, I want to be the perfect gentleman."

She licked her lips. "Judging on the way you behave in the bedroom you, sir, are no gentleman," she teased throatily.

He blushed. "Fine," he said. "I just want to show you what a great boyfriend I can be."

"You've already demonstrated that, babe," she told him, Ted not hiding his pleasure at her use of the word 'babe'. "If making a girl feel this loved and safe and appreciated is how you roll, then you've already proven that you're A+ boyfriend material."

Ted was floored. "Did I mention how much I love you?" he asked in amazement.

Tracy giggled. "It _may_ have come up," she teased, allowing herself to snuggle up against him as they made themselves comfortable on the bed. "So, Ted: if this—you and me—goes anywhere. You know, marriage, babies, white picket fence, matching track suits, that sort of thing."

"_When_, not if," he corrected her, kissing the top of her head. "But go on."

"When the kids ask, 'Hey, mom and dad, how did you two meet?' We can't exactly tell them the truth."

Ted chuckled. "That mommy and daddy were fuck buddies?"

Tracy blushed and pressed her head to his chest. "God, that sounds so horrible!"

"Hey," he said softly. "I'm not ashamed of how we got together. But I agree, it's not exactly the kind of story you tell at bedtime."

"So what's our PG-13 version?" she asked him.

Ted smiled, an idea forming in his mind. "How about telling them we met here, in Farhampton?" he said, excited now as he began his story. "Our paths had crossed for years, but we never met. And then, one night, through chance and serendipity, you ended up playing in the band at my best friends' wedding."

"I see you've watched many romantic comedies in your lifetime," she joked lovingly. "But go on."

"As I sat in my chair, lonely and dejected, for I've had a rather disastrous history as a bachelor in New York City, my eyes looked to see the most beautiful girl in the world up on stage, playing the bass guitar." He leaned forward and murmured into her ear. "And she looked so fucking hot doing it."

"PG-13," she reminded him with a warning tone which betrayed the delighted look on her face.

He smiled and proceeded with his tale: "And, lo, the beautiful woman with the guitar—who was smart and amazing and strong, and who had overcome her own heartache over the years—looked out into the crowd and locked eyes with me. We stared at each other for what seemed like forever, the sounds and people around us disappearing, as if we were the only two people in the world. It was love at first sight."

"Oh, oh, let me continue!" she begged excitedly. Ted motioned her to proceed, happy to have her take the reigns. "And then, when I was done playing, I put down my guitar and just gravitated towards you, as if in a trance. You stood up, looking all handsome in your tux, and walked towards me. We stood there together, taking one another in, and you introduced yourself. And I introduced myself. And then you offered to buy me a drink."

"And we lived happily ever after," Ted finished, giving her a satisfied smile.

They looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Ok, that was cheesy," Ted admitted.

"_So_ cheesy," she agreed. "But don't worry: we have all the time in the world to solidify the details of our cover-up story."

"All the time in the world," he agreed, planting a kiss in her hair. "But it's settled: we met at a wedding."

Tracy smiled up with him, a smile Ted knew would be his undoing day after day after day for as long as he lived. She echoed his words: "We met at a wedding."

_END_


End file.
